Yerawada prisoners submit memo for relaxation of parole rules

Pune, Sep 6 A group of inmates from the Yerawada Central Jail here today submitted a memorandum to the authorities seeking relaxation in rules which bar those convicted for rape, murder and dacoity from getting "regular" parole.

"There are few prisoners, who are serving jail sentence for rape, rape with murder and today they submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Maharashtra government and sought relaxation in the recent amendment by the state government," said U T Pawar, Superintendent, Yerawada Central Jail.

Pawar, however, rubbished reports of over 100 prisoners going on strike since this morning protesting the new amendment.

"They have just submitted a memorandum and sought relaxation in the notification and informed us that if the state government does not blink, they will resort to indefinite hunger strike," he added.

A jail officer said some prisoners refused to have meal, however, they had lunch after the authorities convinced them. As per the recent notification by Maharashtra government, convicts serving jail sentence for rape, rape and murder and dacoity will not be eligible for "regular" parole.

The stringent norms were enforced after a convict, in a murder case of Mumbai-based lawyer, who was serving imprisonment in Nashik jail, jumped parole.

As per the amended rules, a person whose appeal of conviction in a higher court or any other cases filed against him either by central or state governments in any of the courts are pending and for which bail has not been granted by the related courts, will not be eligible for furlough.

PTI