350 detainees in Assam released on bail: Minister of Home Affairs

New Delhi: As many as 350 detainees, who were lodged in the different detention centres across Assam, have been released on bail in compliance of the Supreme Court order, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said on Monday.

Rai, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, said that in compliance to the order dated April 13, 2020, of the Supreme Court of India, 350 detainees lodged in different detention centres of Assam have been released on bail.

“The Supreme Court of India has passed an order dated April 13, 2020, in a suo motu writ petition directing that the prisoners or detainees who have been under detention for two years shall be entitled to be released subject to fulfilment of stipulated conditions including the furnishing of a bond of Rs 5000 with two sureties of the like sum of Indian citizens,” Rai said.

He also said that 15 detainees have died in different detention centres across Assam due to illness during the last two years till September 16, 2020, while undergoing treatment in various hospitals of the state.

Rai was responding to a question raised by Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko, who had asked whether the order for the release of foreigners from the detention centres in Assam due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was complied with.