Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court wants answers. Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh ordered the state government to produce a detailed report on 12 senior citizens trapped behind bars. These inmates range from 70 to 80 years old.
Additional Advocate General K. Khan filed a status report confirming the locations of the detainees. Five inmates sit in Shillong, four in Tura, and one each in the jails at Nongpoh, Jowai, and Williamnagar. The judges scrutinized these figures during a Thursday hearing focused on prison conditions.
The court now demands case-wise histories for every individual. They want to know how long each person has spent in custody and if chronic illness or disability makes their continued incarceration impossible. The bench remains focused on the legal status of each pending file. "We request the AAG to provide the details of the cases pending against these persons and the stage at which their cases presently stand," the bench observed.
Amicus Curiae T Yangi B also filed a report regarding the Williamnagar District Jail after a recent facility inspection. The court took that document on record. Proceedings will resume on August 10. The state must provide comprehensive legal and medical backgrounds by that date.
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