The Delhi High Court on Saturday has extended Interim Bail granted to 2177 Under Trial Prisoners by another period of 45 days from the date of their respective expiry on the same terms and conditions in view of the prevailing Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic situation.
A Special bench comprising Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh took the suo-moto writ petition pursuant to a note of Registrar General, which was put up before the Chief Justice on and as directed, the same has been listed before this Division Bench today. The matter was listed for the consideration of the recommendation made by the High Powered Committee to extend the interim bail granted to the UTPs to be extended for further 45 days.
Whereas, the Court noted that for effective implementation of the directions issued by Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Suo Moto Petition (Civil), High Powered Committee decided to grant 45 days of interim bail to the concerned prisoners and the same will be expiring in the coming days of May 2020. The situation of the pandemic is still the same and the Central Government has already extended the Lockdown to 17.05.2020 and it may not be possible to predict the definite date for resumption of the normal functioning of the Court system.
The High Powered Committee was of the opinion that the interim bail so granted to 2177 UTPs needs to be extended for a further period of 45 days. Following which, Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) has written a letter to Delhi High Court for passing a Judicial Order on the same. Pursuant to that Delhi High Court has constituted a special bench to consider the recommendation of HPC and to pass a judicial order to extend the interim bail of undertrials.
The Director General (Prison), Mr. Sandeep Goel reiterated the same request for extension of interim bails granted to 2177 UTPs, in view of the prevailing pandemic situation.
The Delhi High Court directed that, “in view of the recommendations of HPC and on the basis of order in the case of “Shobha Gupta & Ors. vs. Union of India & Ors.” interim bails granted to the 2177 UTPs are hereby extended by another period of 45 days from the date of their respective expiry.”
The Court further directed Mr. Goel to inform all the 2177 UTPs by way of telephone and through all other available modes.
-India Legal Bureau