Mumbai: No PG Wodehouse book in Taloja Prisons; HC imposes fine on authorities to be used to spruce up prison library

Days after the Bombay High Court commented on the sorry state of the Taloja Prison Library, a bench headed by Justice Sunil Shukre has directed costs imposed on two litigants to be used for sprucing up the prison library.

Recently, the HC was not amused to learn that the prison authorities had refused to hand over a book written by noted English author PG Wodehouse to Elgar Parishad accused Gautam Navlakha, arrested, citing “security risk”.

A division bench of Justices SB Shukre and GA Sanap, on Thursday, told the public prosecutor Sangeeta Shinde, who was present in court in another case, that it had imposed costs of Rs 5,000 and 10,000 in two civil matters that it had heard earlier during the day. The court said that, in its orders in the two matters, it has said that the cost paid by the parties be given to the Taloja prison for getting more books for the prison library.

“We have said in our orders in these two matters that the cost paid by the parties will go to Taloja jail,” the bench said.

Shinde said that she will convey the court's direction to the state prison authorities. Shinde also said that as per earlier HC directions, the list of the books available in the Taloja prison library has been submitted.

The remarks were made on Thursday while hearing bail petition filed by another Elgar Parishad accused - Dr Anand Teltumbde.

Costs are similar to monetary fines, and are imposed by courts on litigating parties in cases where one is found to have misled the court, misused legal recourses available, or, wasted the judiciary's time by filing unwarranted cases.

Taloja prison has a total capacity of 2124 inmates but by the state's own admission, it is overcrowded.