50 percent prisoners in Maharashtra to be released on temporary bail amid coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown

Mumbai: The Maharashtra high powered committee (HPC) has decided to release 50 percent of prisoners on temporary bail lodged across Maharashtra to decongest jails across the state in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision was taken by the committee comprised of Justice AA Sayed (head), Additional chief secretary (home) Sanjay Chahande, and DG prisons SN Pandey. However, the committee has not fixed any time frame for the bail period yet.

The committee was set up after the Supreme Court in March called for the decongestion of prisons across the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The HPC has further also stated that no prisoners who are charged under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA), Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) will be released under the new guidelines.

The committee's decision comes after over 100 inmates and staff members of the Arthur Road Jail in central Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19.

There are a total of 35,239 prisoners in Maharashtra and the prison authorities have released 695 people on emergency parole.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra remains the worst-hit state in India with 23401 cases.