HC seeks Centre reply on verification of sureties for bail

Delhi High Court today sought government's response on a plea initiated by it that there was an inordinate delay in verification of sureties resulting in late release of prisoners from jail.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a letter written by a trial court judge, a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw issued notice to the Centre, saying it wanted to hear them on the issue.
It also asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit before March 25, on the basis on which the court can issue necessary directions to the concerned authorities.
Special CBI judge L K Gaur, inspecting judge of Tihar Jail No. 5, had said in a letter to the Delhi High Court Registrar that over a period of time he has experienced that there was inordinate delay in the verification of sureties, leading to late release of prisoners from jail.

CBI judge in his letter, of which the High Court took suo motu cognisance, said "he is of the view that there is need for not only laying down some guidelines for verification of sureties but also creating some kind of monitoring mechanism which may expedite the process of verification of sureties".
"In number of cases, he had written letters to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate/Superintendent of Police of different districts in the country for expediting the process of verification of sureties on receipt of such complaints from inmates," he said.