Thiruvananthapuram: Following Deccan Chronicle report on Kerala Governor Sheila Dikshit yet to sign the release order of three women prisoners, who had served their life term, Raj Bhavan authorities have released a communiqué, saying the file was approved on July 14 and returned to the State Government.
DC reported on Thursday that the file relating to the release of three women prisoners, languishing in Attakulangara Women's Jail, have been pending with Raj Bhavan since December 2013, when Mr Nikhil Kumar was the Governor.
But Mr M. Sanjeev, special officer at Raj Bhavan, clarified that the file containing the proposal was approved by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on March 5 and sent to Raj Bhavan.
"On receipt, the file was sent to the Advocate General for his opinion which was received on July 2. After examination, the file was approved on July 14 and returned to the State government", informed Sanjeev.
It is reliably learnt that following the Supreme Court's recent judgment on death sentences being commuted to life term, all States have been cautious about sanctioning release orders of life term prisoners in various prisons. A top Government source told DC that the said file was currently before the Law Department.
All three women, belonging to Kottayam and Idukki, have been in jail for committing murder. One woman had tried to poison her two children, one of whom succumbed. She had resorted to the heinous crime as she found it difficult to meet both ends met after her husband abandoned the family. Prison authorities feel all three women have reformed and should be set free.
