Maharashtra drought: Lawyers seek release of farmers jailed in minor cases

• Lawyers seek humanitarian release of poor farmers and agricultural labourers jailed in minor cases.

• Maharashtra's drought has hit more than 300 talukas, with Marathwada among the worst-affected regions.

• Memorandum invokes BNSS provisions and a central scheme to help eligible undertrials secure release.

A group of lawyers in Maharashtra's Jalna district has appealed to the state government to release poor farmers and agricultural labourers imprisoned in minor criminal cases, arguing that their continued detention is adding to the hardship faced by families already struggling with the drought.

The lawyers submitted a memorandum to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, 8 November through in-charge district collector Ramesh Missal, seeking the release of eligible prisoners on humanitarian grounds. They pointed out that families were facing severe financial difficulties because their principal earning members were behind bars.

The appeal comes as Maharashtra grapples with a widespread drought following a deficient and uneven monsoon. The state has declared more than 300 of its 358 talukas drought-affected, with Marathwada among the worst-hit regions. The region recorded a rainfall deficit of around 38 per cent, while several districts, including Jalna, received barely half their normal rainfall. Prolonged dry spells have damaged crops, reduced soil moisture and threatened agricultural employment, leaving farming households and daily-wage workers particularly vulnerable.

The memorandum highlighted the plight of undertrial prisoners who remain in jail for months because they cannot afford bail, even in relatively minor cases. Their families, meanwhile, are left without the income and labour needed to sustain themselves during the agricultural crisis.

The lawyers urged the government to implement section 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which provides for the release of eligible undertrial prisoners after they have spent the prescribed portion of the maximum period of imprisonment for the offence in custody.

They also sought assistance under the Centre's support to poor prisoners scheme to help eligible inmates secure bail. The memorandum further called for the withdrawal of minor cases and the exercise of remission powers wherever legally permissible.

"Releasing eligible prisoners would allow them to return to farming and daily-wage work, supporting their families during the drought," advocate Mahesh Dhannawat said.

The lawyers argued that allowing eligible inmates to return home would not only ease the burden on their families but also enable them to resume agricultural and other livelihood activities at a time when rural households are facing mounting economic uncertainty.

With PTI inputs