Jharkhand clears release of 26 life convicts, plans open jails across all divisions
RANCHI, July 30: The Jharkhand government has approved the release of 26 life convicts following a comprehensive review of 79 cases by the…
RANCHI, July 30: The Jharkhand government has approved the release of 26 life convicts following a comprehensive review of 79 cases by the State Sentence Review Board, while also announcing plans to establish open jails across all divisions to strengthen prisoner rehabilitation and reintegration.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Jharkhand State Sentence Review Board chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren at the Chief Minister’s Residential Office in Ranchi on Thursday.
The Board examined 79 cases of life convicts lodged in prisons across the state, including 37 fresh recommendations and 42 cases that had been rejected in previous meetings.
After detailed deliberations, the government approved the release of 26 prisoners based on prescribed eligibility criteria, conduct in prison, duration of imprisonment, applicable legal provisions, and reports submitted by courts, Superintendents of Police, Jail Superintendents, and Probation Officers.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed officials to identify suitable land and submit proposals for establishing open jails in all divisions of Jharkhand, describing the move as part of the government’s reformative correctional policy.
Emphasising rehabilitation alongside justice, Soren instructed officials to ensure proper rehabilitation, social reintegration, and livelihood support for prisoners released on the recommendations of the State Sentence Review Board. He said the government was committed to balancing justice with compassion and humanity.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to prepare a database of mentally ill prisoners, including both inmates currently lodged in prisons and those already released, and to ensure they receive benefits under social security schemes.
He said providing released prisoners with opportunities to reintegrate into society in accordance with the law would help them rebuild their lives while strengthening rehabilitation efforts and promoting social harmony.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar, Director General of Police Tadasha Mishra, Principal Secretary-cum-Legal Remembrancer (Law and Justice Department) Neeraj Kumar Srivastava, Inspector General (Prisons and Correctional Services) Sudarshan Prasad Mandal, Judicial Commissioner Anil Kumar Mishra, and other senior officials.
