Dimapur, Aug. 15 (EMN): About 56 Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs) from Central Jail and 10 district jails in Nagaland have been released under the campaign for the release of prisoners by the Under Trial Review Committees (UTRCs) to commemorate the 75th Independence Day in India.
An update stated that district-level UTRC committees headed by the district and sessions judge, with district magistrate, superintendent of police, secretary, district legal services authority and officer in charge of prisons as members conducted 35 UTRC meetings during July 16 to August 13, 2022.
Through this campaign, the National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) along with the State Legal Services Authorities (SLSA) and District Legal Services Authorities( DLSA) identified prisoners eligible to be considered by the UTRC and reviewed all eligible cases of prisoners during a series of meetings and recommended for release all such cases that the UTRC consider for consideration, an update stated. The DLSAs were directed to urgently file bail or appropriate applications through panel lawyers for all prisoners recommended for release by the UTRC.
During the exercise, 147 UTPs in Nagaland were recommended for release on bail by the committee. 56 UTPs were released on the recommendation of the UTRCs from the 11 prisons (One from Central Jail, 10 District jail excluding Longleng).
Out of the UTPs released, 20 were from Mon District Jail, nine from Dimapur Central and District Jail, seven from Wokha District Jail, five each from Kohima District Jail and Longleng District (under Mokokchung district Jail as Longleng jail is yet to function), four from Zunheboto, three from Kiphire, two from Tuensang and one from Mokokchung. No UTPs were discharged from Phek and Peren District Jails after recommendation, it added.
The UTRCs were released under 13 categories of cases which included UTPs /convicts covered under Section 436A CrPC; UTPs released on bail by the court, but have not been able to furnish sureties; UTPs accused of compoundable offences; UTPs eligible under Section 436 of CrPC; UTPs who may be covered under Section 3 of the Probation of Offenders Act, namely accused of offence under Sections 379, 380, 381, 404, 420 IPC or alleged to be an offence not more than two years imprisonment, UTPs who have become eligible to be released on bail under some sections; UTPs who are imprisoned for offences which carry a maximum punishment of two years; UTPs who are detained under Chapter VIII of the CrPC 107, I 08. 109 and 151; sick or infirmed UTPs and require specialised medical treatment; women offenders; first time offenders between the ages 19 and 21 and in custody with less than seven years of imprisonment; unsound mind and must be dealt with Chapter XXV of the code.