Delhi High Court extends interim bails of 3499 undertrials for a further period of 30 days after High Powered Committee recommendation

The Delhi High Court has extended the interim bails granted to 3499 undertrials in terms of the recommendations of High Powered Committee for a further period of 30 days from the date of respective expiry of their interim bail period. (Court on its own motion vs State).The order passed by a Division Bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh reads, ."..it is ordered that the interim bails granted to 3499 UTPs, in view of the recommendations of HPC dated 28.03.2020, 07.04.2020, 18.04.2020, 05.05.2020, 18.05.2020, 20.06.2020, 31.07.2020, 30.08.2020, 24.10.2020 and 28.11.2020 and on the basis of the orders in Shobha Gupta & Ors. (supra), are hereby extended for a further period of 30 days from the date of respective expiry of their interim bail period, on the same terms and conditions.".The Court has asked the Director General (Prisons) to ensure that the order is conveyed to all the 3499 UTPs by telephone, as well as, through all other available modes. .The order was passed in view of the fact its previous order extending the interim bails granted to undertrial prisoners for a period of 45 days was coming to an end. .The Court considered that in its meeting held on January 14, 2021, the High Powered Committee constituted by the High Court of Delhi to decongest the jails had recommended that a 30-day extension of interim bails granted by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrates/Metropolitan Magistrates. .It was also noted by the Committee that in the present scenario, it might not be possible to move individual applications before the concerned Chief Metropolitan Magistrates/Metropolitan Magistrates by the Legal Aid Counsel for extension of interim bails. .Director General (Prisons), as well as the State government, did not oppose the extension of interim bails granted to 3499 undertrials. .In view of then above, an order for 30-day extension was passed by the Court. .The matter would be considered next on February 18. .Read the Order: