Under Trial Review Committees in Nagaland recommended the release of 26 eligible undertrial prisoners, with 12 released following court orders during the April–June quarter.
DIMAPUR — District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) under the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) conducted the second quarterly meetings of the Under Trial Review Committees (UTRCs) across the state for the April–June quarter.
According to a press release issued by the NSLSA, 12 undertrial prisoners (UTPs) lodged in the Central Jail and 10 district jails were released during the quarter following recommendations made by the UTRCs.
The review found that Nagaland's jails housed a total of 444 inmates, comprising 333 undertrial prisoners (319 men and 14 women) and 111 convicts (110 men and one woman).
Of the 333 undertrial prisoners, 26 were found eligible for release under various legal provisions.
The committees recommended their release and directed the respective DLSAs to file bail applications or other appropriate petitions through panel lawyers.
Following the filing of applications and subsequent court orders granting bail or other relief, 12 undertrial prisoners were released.
The NSLSA stated that all inmates were represented either by legal aid counsel or private lawyers. The UTRCs also reviewed the status of prisoners requiring medical treatment, legal aid, and other assistance.
A total of 44 UTRC meetings were held by district-level committees across Nagaland during the reporting period.
The committees examined cases under 16 categories identified by the Supreme Court for consideration of release.
These included undertrial prisoners who had completed the required period of detention under Sections 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) or 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), first-time offenders eligible for release under Section 479 BNSS, and prisoners granted bail but unable to furnish sureties.
Other categories included those accused of compoundable offences, prisoners eligible for release under Section 436 CrPC or Section 478 BNSS, and persons who could be released on probation under the Probation of Offenders Act or relevant provisions of the CrPC and BNSS.
The review also covered convicts who had completed their sentences or were entitled to remission, undertrial prisoners eligible for statutory bail due to delays in investigation, those accused of offences carrying a maximum punishment of two years, and persons detained under preventive provisions of the CrPC and BNSS.
In addition, the committees considered cases involving sick or infirm prisoners requiring specialised medical treatment, women undertrial prisoners, first-time offenders aged between 18 and 21 years, prisoners of unsound mind, undertrials eligible for release due to delayed trials before magistrates, and prisoners aged 70 years and above.