BELAGAVI: After undergoing 14-year life sentence, a prisoner from Hindalga jail in Belagavi was all set to be released on compassionate grounds on Independence Day, but fate willed otherwise. Moments before he could receive his release letter from jail authorities, he was told to continue his stay. In addition to life term for murder, he was also sentenced to two years for escaping the prison.
A resident of Chennagiri, Davangere district, Ramesh (name changed) was one among 34 prisoners from Hindalga jail whom the government decided to release on August 15. The government was aware of his two separate jail terms but had decided to release him for his ‘good conduct’.
Along with other inmates, he was also in the queue to receive his letter of release on August 15 at the jail, but the jail authorities dragged him away before he received it, according to jail sources.
According to jail sources, he was sentenced to life term for murder and had initially served his jail term in Ballari jail and later at Hindalga. While in Ballari jail he escaped, but was soon caught by the police following which he was sentenced to two years of imprisonment.
He would have been a free bird by now had the court sentenced him for jail terms in the same murder case he committed. Now, the Prison Department can exercise its powers to reduce his two-year life sentence by 120 days in a year, sources said, hoping that the prisoner may be free after facing at least 12 months from now.
