Convicts released on bail to decongest jails

The jail authorities in some parts of the state have decided to release a few convicts, in order to decongest the prisons, so as to check the spread of COVID-19. A total of 21 convicts were released on bail from the Keremattihalli prison in Haveri taluk.

A decision to this effect was taken by a district-level committee headed by principal district and sessions judge. The 21 convicts who were released had been serving sentences for a period of less than seven years.

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Similarly, in Hubballi,11 convicts were released from the sub-jail in the city. The release of convicts in the two cities follows instructions to this effect from higher authorities. Ashok Bhajantri, the superintendent of the sub-jail, said that the convicts are being released on interim bail