42 convicts who jumped parole yet to be caught

Hindustan Times: Ludhiana: Monday, 27 October 2014.

Officials at the city's Central Jail have yet to apprehend several prisoners who violated parole by not returning and have also failed to file FIRs against most of the absconders. The convicts were serving sentences from 10 years to life for committing felonies including murder and drug peddling. Moreover, action has not been taken against those who stood guarantors for them.

A local RTI activist, Ravi Kumar, who obtained details about the parolees under the Right to Information Act, said: "The jail officials have given a list of the 42 prisoners who never returned after being granted parole. The authorities have registered a first information report with the police against only five of them. The tough parole regulations require two people known to the convict to submit their property documents to the jail authorities. Besides, guarantors have to file a bond of Rs. 50,000 that can be confiscated if the convicts jump parole."

Kumar claimed most of the culprits managed to get parole at the time of the general elections held earlier this year, adding local politicians played a major role in getting them out of jail to use them to peddle drugs to lure voters.

Meanwhile, Central Jail superintendent SP Khanna said he had written to the police chiefs of all the districts concerned to register FIRs against the absconding parolees.