‘Cops should visit prisons for inspection’

PUNE: Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Sunil Ramanand, Head of the State Prisons and Correctional Services Department, on Monday, pointed out to the Maharashtra Police Chief DGP Subodh Jaiswal that as per rule, police should visit prisons for inspection but in reality, the police are not following this rule. Last week, there were clashes between inmates in Yerwada Central Jail three times.

He informed during a press conference at the Centre for Police Research (CPR), when asked about the cases of fighting between inmates. Pune City Police Commissioner Dr K Venkatesham, CID Chief Atulchandra Kulkarni, Director Police Wireless Retesh Kumaarr were also present. 

“An enquiry is being conducted to get to the root. Instead of just pointing out somebody’s fault and taking action against him will not do, we will ensure that such incidents are not repeated. I want to bring to your notice that there are some ex-officio visitors to the prison for inspection, but no police officer goes to prison for checking. After visiting several prisons, I have come to know that except police, officials from district collectorate, public works department (PWD), health etc go for inspection as per rules. If there is a surprise visit, there will be lateral control of police on them, which will help us,” added Ramanand. 

Venkatesham nodded in affirmative, while Jaiswal said, “We will take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future.”  

Under section 59 of the Prisons Act, 1894, the State government has made rules called, ‘The Maharashtra Visitors of Prisons Rules, 1962’ and appointed ex-officio visitors from various departments including the police. According to these rules, visitors may at the time of their visits make a note of the number of prisoners confined in undertrial yards and their respective periods of detention and may make a report in the Visitors’ Book about the cases of undertrial prisoners which appear to have been unduly delayed beyond the prescribed period of three months.

It further states, all visitors may inspect the barracks, cells, wards, work sheds and other buildings, ascertain whether considerations of health, cleanliness and security are attended to, proper management and discipline are maintained in every respect, examine the registers of convicted and undertrial prisoners, the punishment book, the prison accounts containing entries relating to prisoners, hear and attend to all representations and petitions or see and question any prisoner out of hearing, but not out of sight, of the jail officer, direct, if deemed advisable, that any such representations or petitions including appeal and mercy petitions withheld by the superintendent under rules in force be forwarded to the State government. 

The visitor has to enter in the Visitors Book, the date and hour of the visit, any remarks as to the result of the inspection, call for from the jail record any book wherein entries relating to prisoners are made and inspect it unless the superintendent, for reasons to be recorded in writing, refuses to allow such inspection on the ground that it is not desirable so to do in the public interest.

PRISONS ACT
Under section 59 of the Prisons Act, 1894, the State government has made rules called, ‘The Maharashtra Visitors of Prisons Rules, 1962’ and appointed ex-officio visitors from various departments including the police.  According to these rules, visitors may at the time of their visits make a note of the number of prisoners confined in undertrial yards and their respective periods of detention. They may make a report in the Visitors’ Book about the cases of undertrial prisoners which appear to have been unduly delayed beyond the prescribed period of three months.