The amicus curiae of all prisons in West Bengal have filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court, alleging that female convicts have become pregnant while in detention in the state’s correctional facilities.
A division bench consisting of Justice Supratim Bhattacharya and Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam heard the case.
“I have observed that women prisoners in custody are getting pregnant during stay in the prison. Already 196 babies are staying in different prisons. On such basis, I am suggesting prohibition of entry of male employees of correctional homes in enclosure of female prisoners, it was stated.”
In addition, it was said that the amicus curiae and the Inspector General of Prisons had just visited a correctional home where they discovered fifteen additional infants living in custody with their mothers, who were also inmates, as well as a pregnant female inmate.
The court believed that the amicus curiae raised up a significant point after hearing the plea.
As a result, it instructed that the case be heard by a division bench with jurisdiction over criminal proceedings in order to assure the attendance of the public prosecutor.
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