Court allows prisoners to observe Ramzan in jails

A special court hearing cases under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) today granted permission to over 50 prisoners to observe Ramzan in jail.
The accused, charged with being part of terror modules or taking part in bomb blasts, had filed an application in the court seeking permission to observe fast (Roza) in jail.
The application was moved by Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra, an NGO providing free legal aid to the accused.
Jamiat, on behalf of 7/11 Mumbai local train blasts accused, told the court that Ramzan is a holy month and the timings for Saheri (morning meal) and Iftar (breaking fast after sunset) were different from the timings when the jail food was served.

"Hence, the jail authorities may be instructed to provide them food at Saheri and Iftar time," Jamiat said, adding that it was obligatory on the part of every Muslim to observe fast and not to eat or drink anything between "dawn" to "sunset" . This holy month is followed by Eid.
The special MCOCA court of Judge Y D Shinde asked the jail authorities to file their say and after hearing them, it granted permission to the accused to observe fast in jails.

The applicants also stated that they would require dates, fruit, juices, SheerKhurma, chicken and other fried items for Iftari.

It said the families of the accused would bring these items to the jail or send tiffin inside the jail.
The court has asked them to submit details of persons who would be transporting food from home to jail, advocate Shahid Nadeem Ansari, who is also representing the blasts accused, said.
There are over 50 Muslim inmates in Taloja jail, Arthur Road Central jail and Kalyan prisons who will be getting home- made food during the month of Ramzan, Ansari said.