Apart from curbing escape of undertrials during their transit, the move will save on costs, manpower.
In a major step towards security revamp, the state government has sanctioned Rs1.5crore for the installation of video-conferencing systems (VCS) in all courts and prisons across Mumbai and Thane. The aim is to curb instances of undertrials escaping during their transit from jails to courts for hearings as well as saving on manpower and cost. The VCS installed in the Arthur Road Jail on rental basis costs the government around Rs45,000 per month, per system.
Inspector general of police (prisons) Surinder Kumar said, “The agency handling the VCS order has been asked to prepare 46 video-conferencing systems for installation in courts and prisons across Mumbai and Thane.”
Kumar said, “Contrary to the Arthur Road jail, the government will now purchase the entire system. Hence, the burden of paying a huge monthly rent will not be an issue. The facility will eradicate the possibility of undertrials involved in important cases escaping from police custody during their transit to and from the courts.”
“With over 40 jails in and around Mumbai and other parts of the state being connected to district-level courts through VCS, one can imagine the burden of rent the government must pay,” said a source, who is involved in the procurement process of the VCS system.
First used in 2003, it was on the orders of the Bombay high court that the state set up a video-conferencing facility to try the fake stamp paper scam kingpin, Abdul Karim Telgi. Ever since, the process of extending judicial remand of the arrested by all magistrate courts is mostly taken up through VCS.
Another important case in which VCS played a crucial role was the 26/11 trial.
The lone Pakistani terrorist held in the case, Ajmal Kasab, was never produced in an open court due to security concerns and the trial was conducted through VCS connecting the special MCOCA court and the prison where he was lodged. The HC used the VCS facility to confirm Kasab’s death sentence.
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