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The prison department has identified five eligible convicted prisoners,  including a woman, for granting special remission and release, in the second phase (April 6), as a part of the commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Darshana Sawkar (56), John Fernandes (25), Iliyazar Tite (32), Kumar Bijapur (21) and Basuraj Jamuni (25) are the eligible convicted prisoners.

The names of these prisoners have been referred to the state level committee headed by the Chief Secretary to scrutinise the cases for special remission and make its recommendations to state government.

Last year (Oct 2018) two convicts prisoners Sujit Kumar Singh and Parmesh Lamani were released.

As a part of the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi- from October 2, 2018 to October 2, 2020, the government of India had decided to grant special remission to the specific categories of convicted prisoners, who have consistently maintained good conduct during their term in prisons.

As per the guidelines issued by the central government, the special remission, however, will not be given to prisoners, who have been convicted for an offence for which the sentence is of death or life imprisonment, and  those convicts involved in serious and heinous crime like dowry death, rape, human trafficking and others.

According to the information the prisoners shall be considered for special remission and release in three phases. The phase I- October 2, 2018, in phase II the prisoners shall be released on April 6th 2019 and in phase III the prisoners shall be released on 2nd October 2019. October 2 is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and April 6th the anniversary of Dandi march.