Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the death of a 57-year-old woman inmate in Central Jail, Bikaner, after her plea for parole on medical grounds remained undecided until her death, terming the case a “classic case of insensitiveness” by the authorities concerned.A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit, in an order dated Aug 5, directed HC Registry to register a suo motu petition to examine whether the Rajasthan Prisoners Release on Parole Rules, 2021, adequately address the medical needs of seriously ill inmates. The order was uploaded Monday.The court was hearing a parole petition filed by Manju Devi through her son, Ravi Kant Swami, seeking her release so she could receive proper treatment for a severe medical condition. However, she died in jail during the pendency of the proceedings. The court consequently dismissed her individual petition as having abated.While disposing of the plea, the bench took serious exception to the way her request had been handled.“The deceased applicant had been suffering from a severe medical condition, and her son had sought her release on parole so that she could be treated properly. The interpretation of the Rajasthan Prisoners Release on Parole Rules, 2021 adopted by the concerned officer, had resulted in denial of parole,” the court observed.The bench said the case raised an important question about the scope of the 2021 Rules, particularly Rule 11(1)(i). The provision allows parole in cases where a near relative of a prisoner is suffering from a serious illness but does not specifically provide parole when the prisoner himself or herself is seriously ill.Noting that the issue required closer examination, HC ordered registration of a suo motu case and appointed advocate Sambhavi Mardia as amicus curiae to assist the court. It also directed that a copy of the paper book and the order be supplied to her.The suo motu matter has been listed for hearing on Aug 19.
