As many as 79 percent of undertrials in various jails in Maharashtra are posing problems for the jail administration. The large number is because of the huge pendency of cases in different courts. Only 21 percent of prisoners are proven offenders and are facing the jail term.
Thane and Yerwada jails are the most loaded with undertrials, followed by Mumbai Jail. Nagpur stands at sixth place so far as the number of undertrials is concerned.
This number if a heavy load on the state’s treasury.
Maharashtra has 60 prisons where 40,900 offenders including the undertrials have been accommodated. Out of about 40,900 prisoners, only 7,700 are proved offenders. Accommodating 33,300 undertrials is a major problem for the prison authorities. The jails in Maharashtra are overcrowded. They cannot be accommodated with the other prisoners and have to be treated differently as offenses against them are not proved in a court of law.
The jail authorities are required to be produced in the court as and when required for which vehicles and staff are required. Like the proved offenders they cannot be engaged in any work in the jail.
The number of undertrials is increasing with every passing day. With huge pendency of cases in the court their stay in the jail is increasing, resultantly putting an additional load on the jail authorities and the state government. The pendency of cases in the court also frustrates the undertrials. Many of them feel inducted in some offences and expect the court to free them as soon as possible.