SC to lay down guidelines for persons in jail without trial

New Delhi, July 10 (UNI) The Supreme Court today indicated that it would lay down guidelines to check recurrence of incidents of persons languishing in jails without trial.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Mr Justice C K Thakker and Mr Justice P K Balasubramanyan gave the indications during the hearing of the case of Jagjeevan Ram Yadav suo moto cognisance of which was taken by the apex court on the basis of a UNI report carried by several leading dailies on February 6 this year.

The Chief Justice also said it would direct the high courts to monitor cases of people languishing in jails or mental hospitals without trial.

The indications came when the amicus curae appointed by the court, Senior Counsel Vijay Hansaria pleaded to issue directions to all mental hospitals in the country to submit a list of all such inmates who have been there without any trial for long years so that steps for their immediate release may be taken.

The court also ordered that the case of Yadav, who was found to be languishing in Faizabad jail in Uttar Pradesh for 38 years without trial and even the court record not traceable, would be heard along with the case of another person from Assam who had spent over 54 years in jail without trial.

Yadav was arrested for allegedly killing neighbour's wife in 1968.

The chargesheet in the case was never filed and everybody including the police forgot about the unfortunate victim who is now 70. He was not even recognised by his wife and son when he returned home after having been granted bail by the apex court. His family members presumed him to be dead as they had not heard from him for 38 years.

UNI/AKS/SC MA RN1907