The Telangana High Court, on Friday, directed the State Legal Services Authority to ask all district legal services authorities to move case-wise applications of under-trial prisoners in the relevant courts and file a compliance report within six weeks with all details of those who are languishing in Central Prisons of Hyderabad, Warangal and all other jails in Telangana.
The court has also asked for details of these people including the time they have spent in jail, in what cases and under which court, their cases are pending.The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, was hearing a PIL filed by Dr Murali Karanam, a research scholar on Prison Reforms and Penology. The research scholar has been seeking release of 180 under-trial prisoners from jails of Telangana. These prisoners have been granted bail by respective courts, but have not been released because they could not pay sufficient sureties. As most of the prisoners are poor, their families could not pay for the bail bond.The division bench, convinced with the arguments of the petitioner’s counsel D Suresh Kumar, observed that as per the Supreme Court orders, in similar cases the judicial officers concerned have directed to release the under-trail prisoners on personal bonds to decongest the jails. The High Court adjourned the case for six weeks.
HC applauds Helping Hand Foundation for helping conjoined twins
The Telangana High Court, on Friday, applauded the activities carried out by Helping Hand Foundation and its president and managing trustee, Mustaba Hassan Askari, who has been helping in the upbringing of conjoined twins Veena and Vani, by donating `15,000 per month to their father, who is an auto-rickshaw driver.Helping Hand Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, had filed a PIL in 2016 seeking appropriate steps and a decision on separating the conjoined twins Veena and Vani. The NGO had sought help for shifting the twins to Niloufer Hospital, a suitable housing for them in Hyderabad or in their home town of Warangal, and permit the petitioner to pay a monthly maintenance amount of `15,000 for the the conjoined twins. The PIL was listed for hearing before a division bench, headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, on Friday. Special government pleader Sanjeev Kumar informed the court that the conjoined twins Veena and Vani are now staying with their father, after spending nine years at Nioufer Hospital. Expert doctors from abroad too said it is dangerous to separate them. The hospital discharged them as they are pursuing Intermediate.While disposing the PIL, the division bench made it clear that as and when, there is a need to provide medical treatment to the twins, they will be treated at the cost of the State Exchequer. The State informed the court that it will provide all medical help as and when required, free of cost to both the girls.