Nagpur: Promoting a sense of empathy and connectivity in the rehabilitative process for inmates, the Maharashtra Prisons Department has launched the e-mulakat, under Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) system. This initiative allows prisoners in the state to register and conduct video calls with their families and legal aids.
So far, a total of 3,145 jail inmates in Maharashtra have interacted with their family members while 1,058 e-mulakat sessions were conducted from Nagpur Central Prison. The primary aim of this facility is to make it easier for prisoners to maintain contact with their loved ones and thereby foster a sense of connectivity and support during their time of confinement, stated Inspector General of Police (Prison) Jalinder Supekar.
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Saturday08 Feb. 2025
This online system is developed by the NIC (National Informatics Centre) which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs. On the directions of Additional Director General (Prisons) Amitabh Gupta designated interview rooms have been created within the prisons, he said. Before the introduction of this innovative system, relatives of inmates had to endure long journeys and wait for hours outside the prison premises to register for interviews with inmates. However, since implementation of the new system on July 4, 2023, the e-mulakat facility has witnessed an overwhelming response, IG Supekar said.
The official further stated that e-mulakat has received positive feedback from both prisoners and their families. “It has brought a sense of satisfaction to the inmates by enabling regular and convenient interaction with their loved ones,” he said. To ensure smooth communication and transparency, DG Gupta has ordered all Superintendents of Prisons to display information boards (flexes) at locations where relatives gather for interview registration, providing comprehensive details about the new facility’s implementation.
The video calling facility will not be extended to prisoners affiliated with terrorist groups or those hailing from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Additionally, this facility has also been extended to 637 foreign prisoners from countries like Nigeria, Colombia, Iran, Iraq, Britain, Greece, Guinea, Ghana, Brazil, Thailand, Uganda, China, Nepal, among others.
