The Delhi High Court has directed 3499 under trial prisoners, who were granted interim bail under various criteria amidst the outbreak of Covid-19, to surrender upon the expiry of that period.
A division bench of the high court presided by Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh refused to extend the said interim orders.
The bench held, “…all the 3499 UTPs granted interim bails under the various criteria laid down by the High Powered Committee, who have not obtained regular bails from their Court concerned, or any other superior court to its court concerned, shall surrender before the Jail Superintendent(S) upon the expiry of the period of their interim bail commencing from 07.03.2021.”
However, the court didn’t fix a specific date for the surrender of all such persons as they have been granted bail on different criteria.
“As the 3499 under trial prisoners were admitted to interim bails on different dates, accordingly the period of their interim bails will expire with efflux of time on different dates. Therefore, there is no requirement to fix any specific date for surrender of these 3499 UTPs,” said the court.
The bench further said that the Director General (Prisons) shall ensure that this order is conveyed to all the 3499 UTPs by telephone, as well as through all other available modes.
Read Also: Delhi HC grants bail to man involved in Rs 1,000 crores money laundering case