Mumbai, March 06: How long does it take to rectify a mistake? If you asked the question to the state government, the answer will be: 60 years.
The government told the high court on Friday that selling food to prisoners in the canteen was never a part of the jail manual, and by withdrawing the facility, it is only rectifying a “mistake”.
Uddhav Kamble, the inspector-general of prisons, on Friday justified a circular imposing ban on the sale of food in jail canteens. Kamble stated he had merely rectified the illegal practice that had been going on since 1949.
A division bench of justice Ranjana Desai and justice Mridula Bhatkar had called upon the IG to explain the reason behind issuing circular on September 5, 2008. The circular imposed a ban on extra food items which inmates could purchase from the money earned inside the jail.
Public prosecutor Pandurang Pol told the court that some items, such as boiled eggs, were sold in prison canteen for long. “However, there is no provision in the prison or jail manual which permits such sales. Hence the IG, prisons, had issued circular imposing ban on sale of such food items,” said Pol.
Justice Desai remarked: “What made you withdraw the facility after all these years? Your staff is not operating honestly and some malpractices have taken place.”
Justice Desai added: “Because of your corrupt staff, you can’t stop giving these things to prisoners.”
The court was hearing a petition filed by Sardar Shahvali Khan, a life convict in 1993 Bombay Bomb blast case. Khan, at present lodged in Aurangabad central prison, had challenged the circular.
–Agencies–