HC seeks info on video conference facilities in jails, courts

Video conference facility has been installed in 36 jails and 64 courts across Maharashtra so as to reduce the cost incurred on police escort for prisoners, the Bombay High Court was informed today.
This was stated by senior counsel M S Karnik who appeared on behalf of the Registrar of the High Court on a PIL alleging lack of police escort to produce prisoners before the Courts.
A bench headed by Justice Naresh Patil wanted to know how many video conference facilities were operational and accordingly asked the lawyer to file an affidavit within a week giving this information.
On behalf of jail authorities, the state government has been asked to file an affidavit while on behalf of the registrar of the High Court, lawyer Karnik has been asked to give such data.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by one Shaikh Abdul Naeem, an accused in the Aurangabad arms haul case, who claimed that he was not being produced in court due to lack of escort police.
Earlier, the prison authorities had suggested the use of Video Conference facility for production of accused for extension of their judicial custody. Following this, the court had directed the authorities to set up such convenience.

The petitioner, today, argued that some of the video conference equipment installed were not operational and sought a direction to the authorities to inform the state of such facilities in jails and courts.

The petitioner's counsel argued that a committee was set up to suggest ways to make the video conference functional in the courts and jails. This committee had submitted a report on January 22 this year. A copy of this report was submitted to the court today.
On a High Court directive, the Maharashtra Government had sought help of National Information Centre to upgrade the existing video conference facilities in the courts and jails.
The State had initially submitted a plan of action formulated by it to address the issue of under-utilisation of video conferencing facilities in prisons and courts. This was followed by a high-level meeting between government officers, judicial officers, prison authorities and bureaucrats.

The High Court Registar and the prison department had sent consolidated proposals of requirement regarding video conference facility infrastructure and technical support to the state government in this regard.