Mumbai:
Authorities should avoid diverting police force meant for escorting under-trials to courts for security of VIPs, the Bombay High Court observed on Friday.
The court made the observation while hearing a PIL on under-trials when senior counsel S R Chitnis argued that many times the policemen on "escort" duty are deputed to provide security to VIPs.
Taking note of this, a division bench of Justices Ranjana Desai and V K Tahilramani observed "..policemen are deputed for VIP security which results in inadequate staff being available for escorting the prisoners to the court."
"Such a situation should be avoided," the court said, adding "producing prisoners (before courts) is a prime obligation."
The petition was filed by one Shailesh Gandhi who argued that a large number of prisoners are languishing in prisons as their trials are pending for a long time.
Disposing off the petition, the court observed that under "national mission for judicial delivery and reforms, steps are being taken to dispose of cases speedily."
In accordance with the national mission for judicial delivery, special sitting of courts were held on January 26 this year and 464 under-trials were released on bail across the state, and in Goa.
These prisoners are mainly charged with petty, bailable offences.