40 convicts walk free since August 15

CHENNAI: Even as the remission granted to the convicts in Bilkis Bano case triggered a major controversy across the country, the jail officials in the State have released as many as 40 prisoners in the last 10 days since August 15. Sources said 25 of them were released on Thursday, adding that more would follow in the coming days.

However, the 40 who walked free from various central prisons in Tamil Nadu without any publicity. According to sources, 21 convicts were granted premature release so far in connection with the 113th birth anniversary of Dravidian icon and former CM CN Annadurai. Of them, 5 were released on Independence Day last week, while the remaining 16 were released on Thursday. Also, 19 prisoners were released prematurely in connection with the 75th Independence Day. “Of them, 10 were released on August 15 and the other 9 were allowed to walk free on Thursday,” sources said.

When contacted, a senior prison official confirmed that the convicts were being granted remission and added that further orders for more such premature releases would be issued in the coming days.