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Slams 'Ping-Pong' Delays, Grants Convict Emotional Family Leave
In a pointed rebuke to bureaucratic inertia, the has granted four weeks' to long-term convict Nandu @ Ram Kishore , allowing him to attend his elder brother's tehrvi ceremony following the sibling's recent death. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani , in a digitally signed order dated , not only approved the relief but also fired off directives to overhaul sluggish prison administration processes.
A Convict's Cry for Closure Amid Endless Waits
Nandu, son of Pralad Singh and serving over 15 years in at with a "satisfactory" conduct record— even working as a Sahayak at Deodhi Gate—filed W.P.(CRL) 618/2026 seeking urgent . The trigger? His elder brother's passing during the petition's pendency, with the tehrvi slated for , as confirmed by a state status report dated .
The case exposed glaring lapses: Earlier court directions from for expedited processing were stonewalled by a back-and-forth between jail authorities and the . Queries ping-ponged, stalling decisions despite a one-week deadline that stretched into five weeks. Initially, jail officials rejected citing , barring simultaneous for co-convicts. But co-convict Akash @ Bhole had surrendered, clearing the path.
State's Defense: 'Admin Hurdles,' Court's Retort: 'Unacceptable'
Represented by ASC Amol Sinha , the attributed delays to mandatory internal protocols—jail to Home Secretary and back—detailed via video-conferencing by Jail Superintendent Ashish Kumar and Principal Secretary (Home) Santosh Vaidya . Sinha handed up the rejection order but left the decision to the bench after the surrender update.
Petitioner's counsel highlighted the humanitarian angle and non-compliance anguish. The court, unconvinced by procedural excuses, grilled officials on the timeline, expressing deep frustration over "repeated non-compliance" in urgent matters.
Justice Bhambhani Draws a Line: No More Excuses
Interacting directly with top officials, the judge minced no words on systemic flaws. No precedents were invoked, but the ruling hinges on balancing prisoner rights with administrative accountability, especially for bereavement paroles.
Key Observations
"The court has also interacted with the Principal Secretary (Home); and has expressed to him its anguish as to the repeated non- compliance of the timelines with respect to directions issued by the court, especially in relation to urgent applications for grant of and ."(Para 3)
"The Principal Secretary is directed to address the matter at the administrative level; identify the bottlenecks and causes for delay; and to put in place to ensure that court orders are brought to the notice of the concerned authorities in a timely manner, and that court directions (including the timelines for compliance) are duly adhered-to."(Para 6)
"In view of the above circumstances, the petitioner – Nandu s/o Pralad Singh – is granted for 04 weeks..."(Para 13)
with Purpose: Relief and Guardrails
Nandu walks free for four weeks , bound by strict conditions: a Rs. 20,000 personal bond with surety, Delhi residency, weekly check-ins at , active cellphone, passport surrender (if any), no unlawful acts, and surrender upon expiry.
The Home Principal Secretary must file an affidavit and SOP copy next hearing on . This isn't just case-specific—it's a blueprint for reform, potentially easing future bottlenecks and upholding judicial timelines in prisons nationwide.
As nominal rolls underscore Nandu's reformed profile, the order signals courts won't tolerate delays turning justice into a waiting game.
