Mumbai: Govt approves funds for setting up video-conferencing units in state prisons to facilitate production of inmates before the courts

The state government has given administrative approval for the disbursement of funds of Rs 4.20 for the purchase of 210 Video Conferencing (VC) Units for the Prison Department to facilitate the production of inmates before the courts. The state government has stated that 55 of the said VC units would be set up at prisons in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Arthur Road and Byculla women's jail.

According to the state home department, the High Court had given orders in November last year, to set up the functional video conferencing facility in different prisons of the state and a proposal was sent by the Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) to the state government to give approval for the purchase of 210 video conferencing units.

"The state government has given administrative approval for disbursement of funds of Rs 4.20 crore for the purchase of Video Conferencing Units for the Prison Department to facilitate the production of inmates before the courts. The VC units would comprise LCD screens, laptops, speakers with microphones, web cameras and related material," said a home department official.

He added, "As per the orders of the Bombay High Court, from the said VC units, firstly 15 units will be set up at Arthur Road, Taloja and Thane jails and 10 units will be set up at Byculla jail. The ADG Prisons would take a call on where the remaining units have to be set up."

"We have VC systems in some jails but that is on a rental or temporary basis, but this permanent facility will be extremely useful. This facility will eradicate the possibility of escape of dangerous under-trial accused from police custody during the transit from prisons to jails and back” said a police officer.

The first time video conferencing facility was introduced in 2003 after the Bombay High court directed the state government to set up a video conferencing facility to try fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi. Since then at all magistrate courts, judicial remand of accused if needed to be extended are mostly done through video conferencing.

In the case of Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive in the Mumbai 2008 terrorist attack, he had never been produced in an open court due to security concerns and the trials would most likely be conducted through video conferencing from his prison. The VCS facility was used by the Bombay High court to conduct the death sentence confirmation proceedings of terrorist Ajmal Kasab whom the high court pronounced to be guilty on the television set. After that Kasab was immediately shifted to his high-security barrack and no extra security was required.