Send convicts' parole pleas to DGP Prisons, says High Court

All pending applications of convicts seeking release on parole must be referred to the Director General of Police (Prisons) for a decision, the Bombay High Court directed here today.
The direction was given by a bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel in response to a petition filed by an HIV positive convict, seeking release from jail on parole to get himself treated.
Many a time, the DGPs do not take decisions on parole applications on time, resulting in piling up of cases before the authorities, after which aggrieved convicts move the High Court.
"Why should we decide parole applications every time? Why not the DGPs who are empowered under the law to decide"? the bench said, advising the authorities to be prompt in this regard.

Earlier, the High Court had criticised Director General of Prisons Meeran Borwankar for not acting on parole applications and keeping these pending for a long time.
The convict, who sought parole by writing a letter to the court from jail, said his wife is also HIV positive. His letter mailed to the court by post, said he wanted to be released on parole so that he could look after himself as well as his wife.
However, the state opposed his plea saying the convict's wife has a sister to look after her and on this ground, his previous parole plea was rejected by the authorities.