Karnataka is the first State in India to provide video-conferencing in all the prisons linked with the criminal courts.
Henceforth, under-trial prisoners will not miss their hearings in various courts of Karnataka, because of lack of escorts.
The State Government is all set to create video conferencing facility in all 62 prisons in the State, which will be linked to criminal courts. It has also been decided to procure high resolution cameras for this purpose to ensure the clear visibility of under trials.
The move is to avoid the cost and time consumed in escorting under trials from the prison to the courts and back.
Perhaps Karnataka is the first State in the country to provide the facility of the kind in all the prisons linked with the criminal courts. Jharkhand has the facility of the kind only to hear cases pertained to Maoists, because of the risk involved in taking them to courts.
Making an announcement on the state-of-art video conferencing facility in State prisons, the Home Minister K.J. George and Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, T.B. Jayachanda said that many under trials are missing hearing of their cases in various courts, in view of Police Departments inability to provide escort facility to take them to courts. “Increasing density of traffic is also a problem in taking under trial prisoners to the courts at the specified time”, Mr. George said.
Noting that the video conferencing facility would be created with an investment of Rs. 30 crore, Mr. George said that a sub-committee involving senior officials of Home, Law, Prisons and e-Governance had been constituted to work out the modalities. “The committee has been asked to submit its report in the next 15 days the same would be placed before the State Cabinet for approval”, Mr. Jayachandra explained.
The issue gained attention following a direction from the Supreme Court that hearing of cases should not be delayed for want of police escorts to accompany under trials to the court. “The Government is keen on ensuring speedy justice for under trials, as thousands of cases are pending in various courts”, he added.
“There are cases of under trials escaping on their way to courts, despite police escort. It is equally risky to take dreaded under trials to the courts in the busy traffic in city like Bengaluru. Many times the judges postpone the hearing of cases before police producing under trials in the courts”, Mr. George said.
Tele-medicine
Similarly all the prisons will be linked to tele-medicine to provide healthcare to prisoners. This facility, which is presently available in few prisons in the State would be extended to other jails. “Many prisoners who do not wish to spend time in jail offer medical excuses to get themselves admitted to jail wards in hospitals. Henceforth they cannot offer lame medical excuses to escape from imprisonment.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Muralidhara Khajane
Quelle/Source: The Hindu, 05.06.2015
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