Now, if prisoner escapes, staff will be prosecuted in Goa

PANAJI: While several prisoners have escaped from Colvale Central Jail over the past one-and a-half-years, those responsible for their escape, either directly or indirectly, seldom get penalised apart from a brief suspension of service. But with the new prison rules coming into force, a prison staff found guilty of dereliction of duty could face prosecution if an inmate under his supervision escapes.
As per the rules, every officer of the prison because of whose assistance, connivance or neglect an escape takes place, shall be prosecuted under IPC sections 222 (intentional omission to apprehend a person under sentence), 223 (escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by a public servant) and 225A (omission to apprehend, or sufferance of escape in cases not otherwise provided for).

Although many jail guards have been suspended over the past several years following the escape of prisoners, the punishment seldom hurts them, a jail official said. “Some of the jail guards double up as motorcycle pilots, or do some other work during their off-duty hours anyway,” the official said.
In the event of a prisoner escaping, the new rules stipulate the immediate conduct of an independent inquiry by the inspector general of prisons through a senior officer not below the rank of superintendent of prisons, who should not be from the prison where the incident took place.
Recently, the new prison rules clearly defined eligibility for furlough for different categories of prisoners, making securing a temporary release from jail will not be as easy as it used to be before.
Over the past few years, Colvale Central Jail has seen several prisoners abusing parole and furlough facilities by remaining out of the prison for 90-plus days each year. A former official who was posted at Colvale Central jail last year said it was clear that prisoners took full advantage of the system due to loopholes.