Ranchi, Feb 2 (IANS) More than 50 prisoners serving life sentences in Jharkhand’s Birsa Munda Central Jail here have launched a fast-unto-death saying they had completed over 14 years in jail and must be released, an official said Wednesday.
A review committee had recommended their release, but the state government is yet to give its final approval, the official said.
The fast began Monday and some of the prisoners were moved to the jail hospital after their condition worsened, he said.
Of the over 1,500 prisoners serving life term in the jail, more than 70 have completed sentences of more than 14 years. Some of them have served up to 19 years in the jail.
‘The Supreme Court in a judgment had ruled that life term meant life long sentence. A sentence review committee can review a prisoner’s period of confinement and recommend release after 14 years,’ a senior jail administration official told IANS.
The committee decides the release on seven points, including the past conduct of the prisoner and the conduct in the jail among others.
The review committee is headed by the home minister and includes the home secretary and a senior government official.
–Indo-Asian news Service
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