Delhi: Radio programme to address queries of jail inmates launched

A weekly radio programme to address the queries of jail inmates and educate them about their legal rights was launched here on Saturday, officials said.

As part of 'Kanoon ki Chopal', inmates will be able to submit their questions in a register maintained by the jail authorities, with or without their name, and they will be answered by legal experts during the programme, they said.

The initiative is a brainchild of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) and Delhi Prisons administration. It was inaugurated by Kawaljeet Arora, Member Secretary of DSLSA and Sandeep Goel, Director General of Delhi Prisons in jail number 4 of Tihar Jail.

"We have an FM radio system in place in Delhi's prisons. Usually, it is operated by one of the inmates and they play songs requested by the inmates. During the pandemic, we used it to make announcements and create awareness among the inmates regarding Covid," Goel said.

Using the same facility, the DSLSA has started the new initiative, he said.

"Free legal aid is being provided to inmates on individual basis by the visiting lawyers of DSLSA and it will continue. In addition, since the programme on jail radio will reach everyone, it will help create legal awareness among the inmates," he added.

According to Goel,

"Inmates always have many questions about their case, procedure and/or law and thus, a need was felt to put in place a mechanism to address this issue... Radio is a dynamic, interactive, and fascinating mechanism to communicate," Arora said.