“Justice seems very costly for the poor in India. A poor languishes in jail despite getting bail as he does not have the money to pay surety. There are thousands such prisoners and the government is indifferent,” executive director, People’s Vigilance Committee of Human Rights (PVCHR), Lenin Raghuvanshi told ‘The Pioneer’.
Raghuvanshi said that the poor undertrials have no access to lawyers. “Have you ever seen a rich businessman or a powerful politician languishing in jail for long ? No. They have money and can turn the case on its head and roam free while an innocent poor continues to cool his heel in jail,” he said.
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In a unique initiative, the UP Prison department has roped in NGOs and charitable organisations to stand surety for inmates languishing in jail for countless years despite getting bail from the court.
Minister for Prisons Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said that the Samajwadi Party government was alive to the problems of prisoners. “I know poor people held for petty crime are languishing in jails despite getting bail as they do not have money to pay the surety,” Ramoowalia told ‘The Pioneer’.
The minister said that since the state would not pay as those prisoners had a criminal background, the government looked for other alternative. “The government has roped in NGOs and charitable outfits to stand surety for these prisoners so that they can walk free,” he said.
“In November, a gurudwara was asked to help poor jail inmates and it paid a surety for 50-odd prisoners on Guru Teg Bahadur Diwas. A beginning has been made. We are looking for other NGOs and charitable institutions who can come forward and help these poor prisoners,” he added.
Officials admit that the jails in Uttar Pradesh are overcrowded. The government dossiers indicate that against the capacity of 48970 prisoners, the jails have 84228 inmates which is 172 per cent of its capacity. “A reason of overcrowding of jails is attributed to prisoners not getting bail. In 70 per cent cases, however, people are in jail because they have failed to pay fine or cannot furnish surety as asked by the court,” said a senior official.
“Justice seems very costly for the poor in India. A poor languishes in jail despite getting bail as he does not have the money to pay surety. There are thousands such prisoners and the government is indifferent,” executive director, People’s Vigilance Committee of Human Rights (PVCHR), Lenin Raghuvanshi told ‘The Pioneer’.
Raghuvanshi said that the poor undertrials have no access to lawyers. “Have you ever seen a rich businessman or a powerful politician languishing in jail for long ? No. They have money and can turn the case on its head and roam free while an innocent poor continues to cool his heel in jail,” he said.
Senior minister in SP government Raghuraj Pratap Singh recalled how he saved a tribal Jai Ram Saber from jail. A native of Kalahandi (Odhisa), Saber worked as a pharmacist with a quack in Rampur. In 1989, the quack was murdered and Saber was arrested. Later, he got bail but could not pay for surety and remained in jail for 17 additional years. He was released only when Raja Bhaiya paid the surety.
“I am told of several such cases, but as part of the government, we cannot interfere with the law. A prisoner has to pay surety before he is released. So, we are looking at other options,” said Raja Bhaiya.
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