HC dismisses plea to help prisoners change old notes

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking intervention to help prisoners lodged in various jails here to get their old currency notes exchanged.

A division of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal refused to entertain the PIL which raised the plight of jail inmates hit by demonetisation.

The court enquired about the number of parole applications filed to exchange old notes after the demonetisation move.

The petitioner did not have the answer to the court's query and said no such details were provided by the jails.

"You must have done your research. Why do you assume? You don't have any information about the parole application on that (demonetisation) ground, not even a single case," the bench told the petitioner while dismissing the plea.

Additional Solicitor Genreral Sanjay Jain appearing for the government told the court that any money lying at the prisoners' home can be deposited by family members.

The petition has sought a direction to the Reserve Bank of India, the Centre, Delhi Police and the AAP government to make arrangements to allow inmates to visit their respective banks or go on parole for a few days.

--IANS

gt/py/vt