A significant decision was made during the 35th meeting of the State Sentence Revision Council in Jharkhand, presided over by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The meeting, held at the Chief Minister’s residential office in Ranchi, resulted in the approval to release 51 prisoners who were serving life sentences across various districts of the state. The council also reviewed 37 new release cases and reconsidered the cases of 66 inmates previously rejected.
The meeting saw the presence of key officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, the Principal Secretary of the Home, Jail, and Disaster Management Department, the DGP, the Principal Secretary-cum-Legal Advisor to the Law Department, the Inspector General of Prisons and Correctional Services, the Judicial Commissioner, and the Principal Probation Officer.
Following the council’s recommendations, Chief Minister Hemant Soren engaged in a detailed discussion with officials regarding the proposal to release a total of 103 inmates. Each inmate’s case was carefully examined, with the Chief Minister gathering comprehensive information before making a decision. Ultimately, the Chief Minister gave consent to release 51 prisoners, considering their age, family background, social circumstances, and educational qualifications.
The released inmates will be integrated into social security schemes. Some cases involved inmates with health issues and mental health concerns. These inmates will receive medical and psychological care to facilitate their smooth transition back into society. Release decisions for such cases will be based on medical reports.
The meeting also focused on inmates who had served 14 years or more, had reached an advanced age, and exhibited good conduct. Officials were instructed to support the released inmates in establishing a better social life.
Since 2019, a total of 619 inmates have been released following the State Sentence Revision Council meetings. The department has completed physical verification of 558 inmates, with 61 verifications still pending. The Chief Minister was informed that 470 of the released inmates since 2019 have been enrolled in government schemes, including old-age pensions, widow pensions, ration cards, Ayushman cards, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and the MNREGA e-Shram card. Efforts are underway to ensure that all eligible released inmates receive the benefits of government social security programs.