Toby Antony By Express News Service KOCHI: Jails in the district have recommended the names of 122 prisoners to the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services Department for temporary release owing to the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the department has decided against releasing prisoners involved in more than one cases.As per the details from the department, the jails prepared lists comprising remand and undertrial prisoners and forwarded the same to the department headquarters for final scrutiny. The 122 prisoners include 46 lodged in Muvattupuzha Special Sub Jail, 40 in District Jail at Kakkanad, 14 in Mattanchery Sub Jail, 10 in Ernakulam Sub Jail and 12 in Aluva Sub Jail. “The lists comprise jail inmates facing charges that attract less than seven years of imprisonment. Their release is subject to the approval of the headquarters,” said an official with the department.The headquarters has decided not to release prisoners involved in multiple cases. “Prisoners from other states, habitual offenders and those arraigned in multiple cases are not to be released. Clearance was given on Tuesday to release some prisoners. The scrutiny of other prisoners will be completed on Wednesday and those getting clearance will be released by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning,” said the official. One prisoner lodged in Aluva Sub Jail and another lodged in Ernakulam Sub Jail were cleared on Tuesday for release. They will be released after police stations in their native places are intimated on Wednesday. The High Court had, on Monday, issued interim bail to undertrial and remand prisoners facing punishment up to seven years or less in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. Prisoners released on interim bail are to report to the local police station immediately after reaching their place of residence.A three-member committee comprising the chairman of the State Legal Services Authority, an additional chief secretary with the Home Department and the director-general of the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services Department was formed to scrutinise the lists of to-be released prisoners. Where are they right now? The 122 prisoners whose names have been sent to the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services Department include 46 inmates of Muvattupuzha Special Sub Jail, 40 of District Jail at Kakkanad, 14 of Mattanchery Sub Jail, 10 of Ernakulam Sub Jail and 12 of Aluva Sub Jail.

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