Following an order passed by additional director-general of Prisons and Correctional Services on July 4, the Maharashtra Prisons Department has launched a “video call” facility for foreign nationals lodged in different jails across the state. They can make a call through ‘E-prison’ system developed by the central government.
According to the order, foreign nationals including convicts and under trials lodged in different jails of the state would be allowed to make video calls (to their family members and lawyers) for 15 minutes in two weeks.
However, this facility will not be available to Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals, along with those facing terrorism charges, reads the order.
Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that the prison authorities said that Indian nationals lodged in these prisons have already been using the ‘E-prison’ system for making calls to their family members and lawyers.
As per information shared by the prison authorities, the maximum number of foreigners lodged in these jails are from Bangladesh, followed by Nigeria and Nepal.
As on May 31, 2023, there are as many as 637 foreign nationals — 523 men and 114 women — from 44 countries lodged in different jails across Maharashtra.
Of them, 605 foreigners — 494 men and 111 women — are undertrials in different offences, while remaining 32 — 29 men and three women — are convicts.
Records show that prisons in Maharashtra have 12 Pakistani nationals, all men, including 10 undertrials and two convicts.
A total of 200 Bangladeshi nationals — 154 men and 46 women — are lodged in different jails across the state, of whom 189 are undertrials and 11 convicts.
There are 197 Nigerian nationals — 187 men and 10 women; including 195 undertrials and two convicts lodged in different prisons across the state. Also, there are 103 Nepali nationals — 95 men and eight women, including 93 undertrials and 10 convicts.
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