Nagpur: In an unusual development, the Nagpur Central Prison Superintendent Anupkumar Kumre was awarded 7-day imprisonment after he was found guilty of Contempt of Court by the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court.
A bench of Justice Vinay Deshpande and Justice Amit Borkar also imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 on Kumre for misusing powers of giving parole to prisoners. The court had initiated the contempt proceedings after a prisoner, Hanuman Pendam, approached it against denial of parole by the Jail Superintendent. Kumre committed faux pas as in successive affidavits he denied earlier submission while records filed by him indicated something else.
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Tuesday 21 Jan. 2025
Adv Firdous Mirza had appeared for the petitioner and he had cited Supreme Court’s directions as to the parole system that was held to be part of the reformative process. The High Court also directed initiation of departmental inquiry against Kumre for acting in an arbitrary manner and committing illegality in granting parole to prisoners who were not eligible for it as per rules.
After hearing of the petitioner’s prayer, the High Court had issued notice to Kumre and directed him to file an affidavit on August 3, 2021. The Court pointed out in Kumre’s affidavit that the prisoner was absconding during previous parole and hence justified action of denying fresh parole. Subsequently, he filed an additional affidavit in September and countered facts mentioned in the first affidavit and said Pendam had reported on time but was directed to go to GMCH for Covid-19 test.
The High Court, taking note of discrepancies, directed Kumre to file all details about orders on emergency corona parole. In the fresh affidavit, Kumre mentioned that Pendam had reported seven days late after the end of parole period but in the list of prisoners granted parole, Pendam’s name was found again and it was said that latter had reported on time and was therefore released. Having tied himself in knots, the HC directed the Jail Superintendent to file a fresh affidavit after contradictions were pointed out to him in the hearing.
The scrutiny of a detailed list of prisoners granted parole blew the cover of Kumre as it was revealed that while requests of many on the same grounds were accepted but that of Pendam was rejected. Now Kumre was given another chance to come clean, and he blamed the prison staff. At this stage, the High Court directed the Commissioner of Police, Nagpur, to initiate an inquiry. DCP (Detection) Crime Branch Chinmay Pandit submitted his findings which sealed Kumre’s fate. During the hearing on December 20, 2021, the High Court said Kumre is guilty of contempt and that the proceedings were initiated suo motu by the Court.
