In a recent court decision, the High Court of Madras allowed Suresh, an inmate at Central Prison, Puzhal, to take emergency leave to perform rituals for his deceased brother. Initially, Suresh's request for leave was denied, but it was later reconsidered and partially approved.
Suresh, a prisoner serving a sentence of more than five years, asked for 10 days of emergency leave. The reason was that his brother had passed away, and he needed to perform the necessary rituals. However, the prison authorities initially turned down his request, saying there was no rule allowing leave for such past ceremonies.
"The petitioner states that one of his brothers passed away and the petitioner has to perform the rituals."
The case was reviewed by Mr. Justice N. Sathish Kumar and Mr. Justice M. Jothiraman. They looked at the situation and noted that Suresh had previously returned from leave without any problems. Considering this, they decided to give him a shorter leave.
"We are inclined to grant 6 days emergency leave to the petitioner without escort."
The court set specific rules for Suresh's leave. He was given three days of emergency leave from November 21 to November 23, 2025. During this time, he must check in every day at 10:30 a.m. at the Karaikudi Police Station in Sivagangai District. Suresh must return to the prison by 10:00 a.m. on November 24, 2025.
"The convict prisoner shall utilize the leave only for the purpose for which it has been granted and shall not indulge in any other activities."
The court decided to allow Suresh a limited leave to attend to his family responsibilities, showing a balance between following the rules and considering personal emergencies. This decision lets him take care of his family duties while still following the law.
