Calcutta HC seeks report from Bengal govt on female jail inmates becoming ‘pregnant’

Kolkata, March 8 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Friday sought a report from the West Bengal government on female jail inmates at the different state prisons allegedly becoming pregnant while in judicial custody.

A division bench of Justice Jaymalya Bagchi and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta directed the state government to submit the report by April 5.

The bench also said the report should focus on two important aspects — overcrowding of prisons and the existing security measures adopted there.

It also directed the formation of a core committee comprising the state advocate general and other public prosecutors to review the situation of the prisons, especially those in the districts.

To recall, while hearing a matter related to female inmates becoming pregnant, Justice Bagchi had observed that he is aware of how such events can impact the society in general.

“As it is, these women are behind the bars. If such things happen to them while they are in judicial custody, they get maligned in the society even more. Such things are simply unacceptable and the administrative individuals should take responsibility for such events,” Justice Bagchi had observed earlier.

There had been complaints that since there are no separate entrances to the female wards in most of the prisons, the female inmates are often taken to their respective wards through the approach-way in front of the male wards.

There had also been demands for regular pregnancy tests for the female inmates locked at different prisons in the state.