Cabinet recommends release of 375 prisoners on R-Day

The Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday decided to recommend to Governor Vajubhai Vala to release 375 prisoners on the occasion of Republic Day for good conduct.

These prisoners, 13 of whom are women, are likely to be released on Tuesday on the occasion of Republic Day. Only those who have shown good conduct and completed 14 years of sentence with or without remission have been selected for the release. Of the 375 prisoners selected for release, 255 prisoners come under the category of with remission and 120 under without remission category, sources in the government said. The government did not brief the media about the Cabinet meeting due to the model code of conduct for the taluk and zilla panchayat elections.

As many as 252 convicts were released in September 2015 as Vala had not raised any objection. When the BJP was in power, its efforts to release prisoners had gone in vain with the then governor H R Bhardwaj seeking an explanation on the compelling reasons for deciding to release the prisoners.

Prisoners recommended for release are lodged in seven jails: 98 in Bengaluru central prison, 38 in Vijayapura, 114 in Belagavi, 10 in Dharwad, 42 in Mysuru, 23 in Ballari and 50 in Kalaburagi.

Officer punished
The Council of Ministers gave its nod to a proposal to punish assistant treasury officer  K Veerabhadrappa, Bengaluru, who was responsible for the question paper leak.

He has been directed to take compulsory retirement. The officer had given a duplicate key of the treasury to a peon who used to leak question papers of public exams, the sources said.

In another case, the Council of Ministers decided to withdraw pension benefits of retired second division clerk M K Manjappa who was involved in a Lokayukta trap case in Hassan district.

It also decided to dismiss from service Dr B R Sushila, the government medical doctor, in connection with the Lokayukta trap.

Besides, the Council of Ministers decided to drop a proposal to demolish the multi-storey building, next to Vikas Soudha. A technical committee of civil engineers set up by the government has suggested that the building will last for at least 40 years if proper care is taken. Hence, it was decided to drop the proposal, the sources said.

Nominations
The Council of Ministers authorised the chief minister to select two persons for nomination to the Legislative Council. The term of two nominated MLCs Prof P V Krishna Bhat and Jaggesh ends on February 3. Persons in the fields of literature, science, art and social service are eligible to be nominated.
DH News Service