Telangana activist to the rescue of Tripura under trial prisoners

Justice delayed is justice denied is a legal axiom often quoted underlining the need for dispensing speedy justice in the court of law.

Kothagudem: Justice delayed is justice denied is a legal axiom often quoted underlining the need for dispensing speedy justice in the court of law.

Taking cue from the axiom and in an act of judicial activism, Tripura High Court Chief Justice (CJ), Indrajit Mahanty set in motion a process for the release of under trial prisoners (UTPs), who remained in jails in that State even after granting of bail by courts.

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Thanks to a legal activist and law student, Nallapu Manideep of Kothagudem district, who took the plight of undertrial prisoners in Tripura to the notice of the CJ with a plea for justice to release the undertrial prisoners.

Manideep had carried out a research into the condition of undertrial prisoners, who, due to their poor financial conditions could not furnish bail bonds for their release and remained behind bars. He recently wrote a letter to the CJ with the contents of his research. The letter made the High Court, suo moto, take up the case of such prisoners.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Manideep said in late September, the CJ directed the district and sessions judges of the respective districts to engage District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) lawyers to meet the 115 accused persons, who were in different jails in Tripura, and advise them to make applications seeking modification in bail conditions.

Further, the CJ told the district and sessions judges to instruct the trial judges to take up such application at an expeditious manner strictly in terms of Section 440 of the CrPC and make such variances in the conditions imposed in just and proper manner.

The CJ also asked Tripura Advocate General to instruct all public prosecutors to consider each case on its own merits, and if so necessary, not to unnecessarily object to variation of conditions that might be sought for, Manideep said, adding that the CJ also directed the district and sessions judges to take weekly review of cases where bails have been granted and the accused persons have not yet been released.

The jail authorities were directed to submit weekly reports to the district and sessions judges so that appropriate steps that may be necessary under Section 440 can be initiated through the lawyers, he said.

“There are many cases of people coming out innocent after spending 10 or 20 years as under trial prisoners in Indian jails. It is as if justice has been denied to them. There is no one who cares about them” Manideep said, adding he was happy at the Tripura CJ’s initiative for the release of such prisoners.

Manideep, who is an RTI activist as well, had exposed the shortage of judges in the country’s courts and the reasons for 4.30 crore pending cases in the courts. Many voluntary organizations in Telangana supported his efforts.