PUNE: The Lonikand police on Friday booked a 27-year-old murder convict on the charge of not returning to the jail, to serve his remaining sentence, 360 days after he was released on an emergency parole due to the outbreak of Covid-19 virus.
This is the first case registered by the Yerawada central prison, which has issued notices to convicts and under trial prisoners to return to the jail following the expiry of their emergency parole or bails.
Senior inspector Gajanan Pawar on Saturday said,“The convict Motilal Hansilal Chavan (27) is a resident of Phulgaon in Lonikand. He was convicted for subjecting a woman to cruelty and murder. After the state government had issued notification to release convicts and undertrial prisoners on emergency parole/bail to contain the spread of the virus in state jail, Chavan was released on parole on May 28 2021.”
Pawar said,“Chavan’s parole was extended on numerous occasions because of the surge in Covid19 cases in Pune district. He failed to return to jail after the parole period ended on May 8 2022. Before registering the complaint a police team on Friday visited his residence to take Chavan into custody but he was not found.”
“His family members told police that he had gone to Chennai in search of employment and that they are clueless about his current whereabouts. Jail official Dattatraya Kirve has registered an FIR under section 224 (escaping from lawful custody) of the Indian Penal Code,” he added.
