CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to release 700 life convicts to mark the 113th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and DMK founder Aringnar CN Annadurai. Life convicts who have completed 10 years, including those who were originally sentenced to death by trial courts and modified to life imprisonment by the Appellate Court, may be considered for premature release, said a release from the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services. Among other conditions for release, the prisoner’s behaviour should be satisfactory, the G.O noted.
Prisoners convicted for offences of such as forgery, robbery, dacoity, escape or attempt to escape from lawful custody, cruelty against women/dowry death and have completed 10 years in prison are not eligible for premature release. However, prisoners convicted for the same crimes, but have completed 20 years in prison are eligible.
Similarly, prisoners serving jail terms under Central Acts like Prevention of Corruption Act (bribery), Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (prostituion), acts pertaining to drugs and adulteration won’t be eligible for release if they have served for 10 years, but can be added in the list for premature release, if they have completed 20 years.
The offences that are a common barrier for prisoners who have completed 10 and 20 years of their life conviction are rape, terrorist crimes, offences against State, offences under sections 153-A, 153-AA and153-B of IPC (promotion of enmity in society), counterfeiting currency, economic offences, smuggling, selling illicit arrack mixed with poisonous substances, habitual forest offenders, prisoners convicted for more than one murder and violence with religious basis.