The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has advised the States to update recent photographs of prisoners released on parole/furlough/premature release in the ‘ePrisons’ and ‘Interoperable Criminal Justice System’ database to generate immediate alerts and facilitate easy tracking in the event of their violating the law.
In an advisory sent to Chief Secretaries, the MHA said the States and the Union Territories were advised to review the existing practices and procedures governing grant of parole, furlough and premature release to inmates, as per provisions under the Model Prison Manual, 2016, and guidelines issued by the Home Ministry, the National Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court. It was also advised that in order to ensure that the inmates released on parole, furlough and premature release etc. do not violate law, systems must be put in place for monitoring and follow-up of each such case.
Generate alerts
Taking into account the importance of initiating timely action in the event of any inmate absconding/escaping from custody/prison, it was considered necessary to have recent photographs of the prisoners updated in the system and also generate immediate alerts which would enable tracking of such inmates by the law enforcement agencies. The ‘ePrisons’ and ‘Interoperable Criminal Justice System’ platforms could be deployed to address such issues.
Prison departments were told to update the details of any escape from the prison/custody on ‘ePrisons’ on a real time basis. Quick availability of this information would facilitate police and other authorities concerned in nabbing the escapee/absconder. States/Union Territories should leverage ‘ePrisons’ application for updating the profile of inmates on a regular basis, the advisory said.
The MHA called for appropriate systems to be put in place for monitoring and follow up of each case of an inmate released on bail, parole, furlough and premature release etc. so that they do not indulge in criminal activities. “Any person who either attempts to escape from prison or absconds from custody should not be considered for grant of bail, parole or furlough.”
Joint drives
State police and prison authorities should launch special joint drives to apprehend any escapee/absconding inmate on a mission mode by forming special teams. Advances in technology should be deployed to generate alerts of such escapes from prisons on systems like ePrisons, ICJS and Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) platforms enabling authorised users to access the information instantly across the country.
