Escaping from jail as easy as walking out

VIBHA VERMA

PANJIM: The Prisons Department has found itself in a tight spot after four convicts, released on parole and furlough during the last one year; have failed to surrender to jail authorities at the end of the leave of absence period. 

Four convicts – Ramesh Jadhav, Janak Bishu Karma, Kushal Puri and Prakash Nair – were released on different dates between April 2018 and February 2019. They have now left the authorities red-faced by not surrendering to the prisons officials despite written assurances as prescribed by the law. 

The latest incident is of Jadhav who was to have reported back to the prison authorities on March 17. The authorities have launched a search for the prisoners.

An investigation by Herald reveals that three of the four convicts – Jadhav, Puri and Nair – were previously released on such temporary basis and had also surrendered to custody within the stipulated period. When they had reapplied for parole and furlough at the head office in Panjim, the authorities granted permission, not suspecting any intention of escape. 

What’s interesting is that Nair, a Kerala-native who was released on furlough for the fourth time in November 2018, and managed to give the authorities a slip at the very time when the High Court of Bombay at Goa was hearing his petition for release. 

“He had moved the court seeking his release as the offence of murder for which he was sentenced to life in the year 2007 was toned down to ‘culpable homicide’ and ‘destruction of evidence’. While his petition was being heard, Nair had applied for furlough and the sanctioning authority granted the release based on his good conduct. However, he failed to surrender within the stipulated 28 days and during his absconding period in March 2019, the court ordered his release,” a source told Herald. 

Since the court’s order mentions of handing over the ‘order copy’ at the time of his release, the department has communicated to the bench that it is unable to do so in view of Nair’s escape. “Nair should be in custody to be released as per the court order but he is already out of jail, although by breaching the furlough conditions. The jail authorities have written to the high court to decide on the matter,” he said.

In what could also expose non-coordination among the government departments, Goa Police had failed to report to the Prisons Department regarding non presence of a convict on furlough at the police station. “The convict had not reported to the Old Goa police for 2-3 days but this was not informed to the Prisons Department. Had it been done, we would have initiated quick action but the Old Goa police cited their busy schedule owing to the feast of St Francis Xavier,” said the source. 

As per the rules, a prisoner released on parole and/or furlough should report to the nearest police station on a day-to-day basis till his/her return to the jail. While a search for these prisoners, two of whom are natives of Nepal continues, the Prisons Department has cancelled their temporary release orders and is preparing a water tight case that would send the accused behind bars for another two years for violating the jail rules. 

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THEY NEVER RETURNED