COVID 19 Parole: Several prisoners convicted in the murder case released on Covid parole have approached the Supreme Court challenging the Maharashtra government's order to return to jail. In fact, in view of the Corona epidemic, the Maharashtra government had released many prisoners on parole and now all of them have been directed to return to jail, so that the remaining part of their sentence can be completed in jail. But, the prisoners have now moved the Supreme Court challenging the notification issued by the Maharashtra government in this regard.

According to the report of news agency ANI, 49 murder convicts, who were released on parole in May 2020 due to corona infection, have moved the Supreme Court citing the increasing number of cases of Covid-19 in the state. The prisoners who reached the Supreme Court were serving life sentences in the jails of Nashik, Aurangabad, Amravati and Kolhapur and were released on emergency parole in view of the increasing cases of Corona. He has challenged the circular of May 4, 2022 given by the Government of Maharashtra in the Supreme Court. In this circular, all prisoners who were granted temporary parole or bail have been asked to surrender within fifteen days.

It is to be known that in view of the increasing cases of corona in the country and the overcrowding of prisoners in jails, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognizance on 23 March 2020 and to prevent the spread of corona among the prisoners serving in the jails of each state. A High Powered Committee (HPC) was ordered to be constituted for identification and release. Based on the recommendation of HPC, the Government of Maharashtra had issued a notification on 8 May 2020. In this, convicted prisoners, whose maximum sentence is more than 7 years, were directed to consider applications for emergency parole.