The Hindu : Front Page : 116 lifers hope to be freed on September 15

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Saturday, Sep 02, 2006

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116 lifers hope to be freed on September 15

V.S. Palaniappan

Coimbatore: As many as 106 life convicts in the Coimbatore Central Prison and 10 in the Salem Central Prison are expecting to be released on September 15 in view of C.N. Annadurai birth anniversary.

The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to release life convicts, who have served more than 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, by way of remission for "good conduct."

List forwarded

The office of the DIG of Prisons, Coimbatore range, has forwarded to the Government a proposal with the list of 116 convicts who are eligible for remission.

Of the 2,498 men and 56 women prisoners in the Coimbatore Central Prison, 1,040 are life convicts.

Pressure may ease

The decision to release life convicts is expected to bring down the pressure on the Central prisons, which are getting overcrowded. However, prison sources say there is an overflowing population of remand and undertrial prisoners rather than convicts for whom the Central prisons are meant.

Remission is not allowed for those arrested for murder for gain, rape and murder, robbery, offences against the Government, conspiracy, dacoity and on graft charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act as also for other grave crimes.

An exception

Remission for the murder accused is allowed only in the event of the crime having been committed in a fit of rage or sudden provocation.

Police report obtained

DIG of Prisons P. Munivelu and Superintendent of Prisons S. Rajendran have already prepared the proposal listing the convicts eligible for remission. It was sent after obtaining a report from the police and probationary officers on whether the family members would be willing to accept the discharged prisoners.

The authorities have also examined the possibility of victims' families facing a threat from any of these prisoners.

Their release will be subject to satisfaction on these grounds and approval of the Government, say the prison sources.

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