PANAJI
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of freedom of India, those in jail for minor crimes, are young and displaying good conduct would be allowed to forgo their punishment and be set free. An order pertaining to this is being issued by the Union government to State government stating those prisoners who have already completed 50% of their punishment and are above 50 years of age, are women, transgender and men above 60 should be pardoned and forgiven and abstained from their remaining punishment and let go free. Among them also come those who are more than 70 % physically disabled and those who are seriously ill. The release of these jail birds will happen in three phases, i.e. August 15, 2022, January 26, 2023 and August 15, 2023.
However, prisoners who are in the jail for life imprisonment, or are in because of National Security and other serious crimes will not come under this category and will not be released. A letter regarding this issue has been sent by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and asked him to make a list of those who are having good conduct and come under the ‘pardoning’ category.
The Union government has planned this special scheme of pardoning prisoners for their crimes on the basis of their age, conduct, behaviour, crime and gender. The project aims at not only maintaining strict discipline in the jails and fostering good behaviour in the prisoners, but also in transforming their criminal mentality into being responsible citizens of India. The State is being asked to consider those prisoners who have displayed good conduct in the last three years for a release.
Those prisoners who have already completed 66 % of their punishment period in jail will also benefit from this scheme. And even the poor prisoners, who have completed their term in the jail but could not arrange to pay the requisite amount of penalty, will also get the benefit of the scheme. Before their release the prisoners will have to attend counselling sessions. These sessions will include counselling sessions for the prisoners and their families for their rehabilitation in the society. The jail birds will be encouraged to contribute to the society.
The crimes that will still remain punishable with no pardoning are of those who have received death sentence or life imprisonment, have serious crimes on their names, are in jail for crimes related to national security or are hardcore criminals. Those who are terrorists or are involved in terrorism related activities will also not be freed. The prisoners who are in jail under National Security Act 1982, TADA, POTA, UAPA, Explosive Act 1908, and Secrecy Act 1923, Motor Vehicle Theft Control Act 2016 etc will also not be spared. Those who are in on dowry related deaths, are involved in Fake Currency related crimes, or are in under Money Laundering Act 2002, FEMA, Black Money and Tax Act will not come under this special release category.
Those who are in the jail for crimes like rape under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) 2012, Sexual Atrocities, Human Trafficking and Unethical Business Practices Act 1956 will not get any benefit from the special scheme. Also those who are suffering their punishment under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and others who are enjoying their term under other National Security or State related laws will not be freed under this special scheme.
