Navi Mumbai: 30-year-old Nerul resident on Covid Parole absconding, case registered

The Nerul police registered a case against a 30-year-old man for not returning to jail who was allowed to go home on Covid emergency parole during the pandemic. Police said that the prisoner was supposed to return to Taloja jail by May 25, 2022. However, instead of returning to jail, he absconded.

The prisoner was identified as Rahil Sahdev Bhosale and he was allowed to go to his home in a slum in sector 30 in Nerul on April 30, 2021 under the emergency parole during the Covid pandemic. He was given leave till June 13, 2021 and subsequently, the leave was to be increased for 30 days if required. However, during this period, Bhosale was supposed to report to the Nerul police station once a month. According to police, Bhosale was sentenced to six months in prison and Rs 500 for a pitty crime. He had even spent some time.

After the Maharashtra government revoked all restrictions imposed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 on May 1, 2022 the state home department issued an order regarding temporary parole, directing all the convicted prisoners to return to jail. All the prisoners who were given temporary emergency Covid Parole were supposed to return to jail within 30 days. And, an additional even 15 days of leave was granted and accordingly, all prisoners have to return to jail by May 25. Around 4241 convicts lodged across 46 prisons in the state were released during the state during Covid Emergency Parole and over 3300 had already returned.

However, Bhosale did not return to jail and even there was no response to the letter sent to his address. Following this, the Taloja jail administration registered a case against Bhosale under section 224 (resisting lawful custody) of the Indian Penal Code.