Chandigarh November 19: Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal has approved a proposal to extend the duration of special parole or interim bail granted to as many as 4585 prisoners including 1459 under trial prisoners and 3126 convicts upto December 31, 2020 in view of the prevalent COVID-19 situation.

Sharing more details about the same, an official spokesman said that the Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal on the recommendation of the High Powered Committee, headed by Mrs. Justice Daya Chaudhary, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh and Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Panchkula, in its meeting dated November 12, 2020, has approved a proposal in this regard.

These prisoners have been granted special parole or interim bail on the directions issued by the Supreme Court of India on March 23, 2020, in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1/2020- In RE: Contagion of COVID-19 in prisons. However, concerned authorities shall be free to cancel the special parole or interim bail as the case may be, in case any complaint regarding misuse of special parole or interim bail is received against any convict or under trial prisoner.