Pune: Video call facility extended to foreign prisoners

The Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Department has taken a significant step by providing the Video Calling facility through the ePrisons system to inmates in state prisons to connect with their families and relatives. However, this facility was not yet extended to foreign prisoners. In a recent development, the Inspector General of Prisons, Amitabh Gupta, issued a circular, announcing the payment and provision of this facility to all foreign prisoners, excluding those from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and terror accused.

Currently, there are 637 foreign prisoners registered across various prisons in Maharashtra, with a higher concentration in jails located in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and other metropolitan cities. These foreign inmates hail from countries such as Nigeria, Bangladesh, Kenya, Colombia, Iran, Iraq, Britain, Greece, Guinea, Ghana, Brazil, Thailand, Uganda, China, Pakistan, and Nepal, among others, and have been detained for various crimes.

As the relatives or lawyers of foreign prisoners face difficulty visiting them in person, access to legal assistance and securing their release from prison becomes challenging. Consequently, foreign inmates often experience increased feelings of depression and isolation, necessitating constant monitoring by prison authorities.

Extending the Video Calling facility to foreign nationals will enable them to obtain quicker legal aid and expedite their release from prison. This initiative is expected to alleviate overcrowding to some extent, enhancing the overall prison management system.