Gandhinagar: As many as 143 prisoners lodged in various jails in the state will be released on parole for 15 days from Nov 6 so that they can celebrate Diwali with their families, the state govt said on Sunday.As many as 103 male prisoners aged 60 years or above and 40 women inmates are eligible. The parole is part of the state’s annual initiatives towards prison reforms and prisoner welfare, govt said. Govt has been granting 15-day paroles to elderly prisoners during Diwali since 2003.Quoting director general of police (prisons), K L N Rao, the statement said prisoners convicted of serious offences would not be eligible for the concession. These include inmates with appeals pending before the high court, NRI prisoners and those belonging to other states, as well as convicts under the NDPS Act, TADA and POTA.Prisoners involved in terrorist activities or offences that damage the state’s economy, those convicted in multiple cases, and those sentenced for serious crimes such as rape, kidnapping, robbery, dacoity, theft and extortion will also be excluded. Inmates against whom preventive orders are in force will not be granted the parole benefit.
