The Hindu : Karnataka News : Many undertrials not being taken to court due to shortage of escorts

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Tuesday, Dec 25, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Many undertrials not being taken to court due to shortage of escorts

Raghava M.

‘There are not enough City Armed Reserve personnel for such duty’

200 inmates are to be produced in court every day
However, only 60 are taken to court

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

HARD TIMES: The Central Prison in Bangalore where several undertrials are lodged.

BANGALORE: It has been seven months and 36-year-old Venkatesh, an accused in an accident case, has not been heard by the magistrate as yet.

For, he has been waiting for police escorts to take him from the Bangalore Central Prison off Hosur Road to the Magistrate Court on Nrupatunga Road here and back.

Syed Bashir, an accused in a case of theft registered with the Hennur Police Station, has also not been produced before the jurisdictional magistrate court for the past six months.

Venkatesh and Bashir are among the many undertrials lodged in the prison.

They have no idea when they will be produced before a court.

For that to happen, they have to be escorted by the City Armed Reserve personnel.

Escort strength

While the prison authorities say there were not enough City Armed Reserve personnel to take all the undertrials for court hearings, the Bangalore city police say they cannot help as there has not been any increase in the escort strength since 2001.

“The problem of escorts is acute in Bangalore,” said Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) S.T. Ramesh. On an average about 200 prisoners are to be produced every day before court.

“However, only 60 undertrials are taken to courts. The others have to wait their turn,” he said and added, “We have to face their ire for delaying hearing of the case.”

The rule

The Prison Manual states that a minimum of two assistant police constables should be deployed to escort four inmates.

For escorting more than four and less than six inmates, at least one assistant head constable and three assistant police constables are required.

For escorting more than six but less than 10 inmates, one assistant head constable and four assistant police constables are to be deployed.

The number of escorts is increased in cases when it comes to “dangerous” inmates, travelling by train for more than 12 hours and overnight journeys, Mr. Ramesh said.

“We have to look at the available number of escorts and send the appropriate number of inmates to courts. I cannot deviate from this rule and send the inmates at the cost of security,” said Chief Superintendent of Prison V.S. Raja.

In November, 3,119 of the 4,673 inmates were not produced before court.

On December 15, only 69 of the 293 inmates scheduled to be taken to court were produced before court for hearing.

Video conferencing

Asked why the video conferencing facility, which connects the prison with the city courts, was not being used, Mr. Ramesh said: “The facility cannot be used during all the stages of hearing. We have to physically produce them at several stages: for example, at the time of evidence.”

In the case of fake stamp paper accused Abdul Kareem Telgi lodged in the Yerwada Central Prison in Pune, the Supreme Court allowed the city court to conduct all the proceedings using video conferencing facility, Mr. Ramesh said.

Helpless

The Bangalore city police are also hard pressed to find time for assignments such as this.

Only 226 men are sanctioned to do escort duty out of the 5,000-member City Armed Reserve, while there is a need to double the sanctioned strength.

The number has remained stagnant since 2001.

“There has not been any increase in the number in proportion to the increase in prison strength,” said Additional Commissioner of City Armed Reserve N.S. Megharik.

“I cannot send more personnel than the present number as it will affect other duties of the City Armed Reserve,” he said.

Apart from escorts, the City Armed Reserve personnel are involved in providing security to vital installations, VVIP security, training and security duties.

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