Human rights activist Surendra Gadling and cultural activist Sagar Gorkhe, with the help of others arrested in the Elgar Parishad case have identified at least 300 such cases where incarcerated persons lodged at the Taloja central prison have not been produced before the court for years at end.
With the systematically conducted survey over the past many months, both Gadling and Gorkhe have moved the Bombay high court seeking direction to ensure regular court visits for those in judicial custody. Since both have been facing prolonged incarceration themselves, the petition was posted across to the high court’s registry late last month.
https://thewire.in/rights/many-prisoners-at-taloja-jail-not-produced-before-court-for-years-reveals-survey-by-jailed-activists The data collected by the activists reveal disturbing trends: many prisoners had not been produced in court even once in two to three years, and some had only been produced a handful of times in five years. These figures highlight the gravity of the situation, where the basic legal right to a timely trial is being routinely violated.
The majority of these incarcerated persons, the petitions point out, come from marginalised communities such as Dalits, Adivasis, and religious minorities. Many are migrants seeking employment, living in poverty, and serving as the primary breadwinners for their families.
by Sukanya Shantha
10/02/2024