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

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 25, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

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

Raghava M.

On an average, 200 prisoners are to be produced before court every day
However, only 60 are taken and others have to await their turn

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.

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 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.

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