AHMEDABAD: Tarun Jinaraj, accused of killing his wife Sajni Nair on Valentine’s Day of 2003, isn’t the only one who has managed to slip through the prison system after being granted temporary release. Shockingly, prison records reveal that, since 1972, 1,379 prisoners across 23 different jails in Gujarat have escaped prison by taking advantage of interim bail or parole opportunities.
Among these jails, Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad takes the dubious lead with 740 recorded cases of inmates escaping, closely followed by Rajkot Central Jail with 296 such incidents, as per data obtained from the National Prisons Information Portal. The records also reveal that 784 prisoners escaped after obtaining interim bail, and 290 jailbirds secured parole from the Gujarat high court over these 51 years.
‘Have dedicated teams to track down escapees’
Gujarat director general of police (DGP), Vikas Sahay, stated that there are dedicated teams, including parole and furlough squads operating in districts, to track down and apprehend prisoners who flee. “We are relentless in our pursuit of escapees. We have captured many who escaped from jail,” Sahay said. However, the DGP added that there might be some discrepancies between prison and police data, emphasizing that sometimes the records aren’t updated even after an individual is recaptured. ADGP Prisons K L N Rao could not be contacted for comment despite repeated attempts.
Jinaraj, who was arrested after having evaded justice for 15 years, recently skipped interim bail and is believed to escaped to another country. He was arrested from Bengaluru in 2018 where he had created a new life for himself. While in jail, Jinaraj moved courts 18 times, seeking regular or temporary bail. He beseeched the trial court on five occasions, pleading that he needed bail to tend to his aging mother during her hospitalization. The court dismissed his pleas, saying that for 15 years, while he evaded arrest, he showed no concern for his mother’s well-being.
Jinaraj also filed nine applications for temporary bail and secured release on three occasions. However, the first time, the prosecution and Sajni’s family swiftly brought to the HC’s attention his conspicuous omission: his 15-year evasion of authorities. The HC directed the jail authorities not to release him. His second temporary release came in October 2022, this time for 10 days, so that he could support his family financially. Jail records show that he surrendered on time. Jinaraj’s final plea for temporary bail was approved on July 20, and he was released from Sabarmati jail on August 4, 2023. He had sought bail on the grounds that he needed to return to his previous workplace at a multinational company to access funds in his provident fund account. He was to return to jail on August 19, but jumped bail. He is believed to have fled abroad.
Among these jails, Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad takes the dubious lead with 740 recorded cases of inmates escaping, closely followed by Rajkot Central Jail with 296 such incidents, as per data obtained from the National Prisons Information Portal. The records also reveal that 784 prisoners escaped after obtaining interim bail, and 290 jailbirds secured parole from the Gujarat high court over these 51 years.
‘Have dedicated teams to track down escapees’
Gujarat director general of police (DGP), Vikas Sahay, stated that there are dedicated teams, including parole and furlough squads operating in districts, to track down and apprehend prisoners who flee. “We are relentless in our pursuit of escapees. We have captured many who escaped from jail,” Sahay said. However, the DGP added that there might be some discrepancies between prison and police data, emphasizing that sometimes the records aren’t updated even after an individual is recaptured. ADGP Prisons K L N Rao could not be contacted for comment despite repeated attempts.
Jinaraj, who was arrested after having evaded justice for 15 years, recently skipped interim bail and is believed to escaped to another country. He was arrested from Bengaluru in 2018 where he had created a new life for himself. While in jail, Jinaraj moved courts 18 times, seeking regular or temporary bail. He beseeched the trial court on five occasions, pleading that he needed bail to tend to his aging mother during her hospitalization. The court dismissed his pleas, saying that for 15 years, while he evaded arrest, he showed no concern for his mother’s well-being.
Jinaraj also filed nine applications for temporary bail and secured release on three occasions. However, the first time, the prosecution and Sajni’s family swiftly brought to the HC’s attention his conspicuous omission: his 15-year evasion of authorities. The HC directed the jail authorities not to release him. His second temporary release came in October 2022, this time for 10 days, so that he could support his family financially. Jail records show that he surrendered on time. Jinaraj’s final plea for temporary bail was approved on July 20, and he was released from Sabarmati jail on August 4, 2023. He had sought bail on the grounds that he needed to return to his previous workplace at a multinational company to access funds in his provident fund account. He was to return to jail on August 19, but jumped bail. He is believed to have fled abroad.
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