Punjab govt. will soon end VIP culture in jail: CM Mann
The Hindu
The Chief Minister said the State government has so far confiscated 710 mobile phones from jails in a special drive.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said his government will soon end the “VIP culture” in state jails by converting “VIP cells” there into administrative blocks.
Mr. Mann made the announcement in a video message emphasising that jails would be converted into 'Sudhar ghar' (correctional facilities) in the true sense.
The Chief Minister expressed his government's intention to reform jail administration saying over 700 mobile phones, being used by gangsters and criminals in jail, have been recovered from different prisons in the past 50 days during search operations.
He said his party had promised that after coming to power it would stop the network of gangsters and criminals operating from jails after coming to power.
Mr. Mann said those lodged in jails have been punished by courts for violating the law and they cannot enjoy various facilities in jails.
“It is surprising how can anyone become a VIP in a jail after a court punishes him (for a crime)," he asked.
“We will end VIP culture in jails. People think they (accused) are in jail but the accused take rest there, play badminton and tennis and watch TV. We are going to stop this culture," the Chief Minister said in his video message.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”