RIGHTS OF ACCUSED, UNDERTRIAL PRISONERS AND CONVICTS

UNDER THE CRIMINAL LAWS OF INDIA, (AN ANALYTICAL AND
CRITICAL STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO THE CONSTITUTION AND HUMAN
RIGHTS LAWS)

A
SYNOPSIS / RESEA
RCH PROPOSA
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SUBMITTED TO

THE
SHRI JAGDISH PRASAD JHABARMAL TIBRE
WALA UNIVE
RSITY,

FOR THE DEGREEOF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IN

LAW

By

SYED EJAZ ABBAS  

(Registration No.
9105)

UNDER THE GUIDA
NCE OF

Dr. SMITA KARVE, Professor, Jitendra Chauhan College of L
aw, Mumbai

DEPA
RTMENT OF L
A
W 

SHRI JAGDISH PRASAD JHABARMAL TIBREWALA UNIVERSITY,

 VIDYANAGARI, JHUNJHUNU, RAJASTHAN – 333001

Year 2013
RIGHTS OF ACCUSED, UNDERTRIAL PRISONERS
AND CONVICTS UNDER THE CRIMINAL LAWS OF
INDIA. (AN ANALYTICAL AND CRITICAL STUDY WITH
REFERENCE TO THE CONSTITUTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS)

INTRODUCTION
All Human beings are social animal. Their basic need is to live in
society for their better living. Human loves a peaceful & harmonious
life. For that he live in an organize society. In the organize Society, a
strong and civilized state takes shape. All human being, who live in
the State, being taken care by the authorities of the said state.

Jail System in India originated during the reign Lord Macaulay in
1835.   A   committee   was   constituted   namely   Prison   Discipline
Committee. The said committed had submitted its Report in the year
1838.   The   committee   recommended   increased   rigorousness   of
treatment while rejecting all humanitarian needs and reforms for the
prisoners.   Following   the   recommendations   of   the   Macaulay
Committee   between   1836­1838,   Central   Prisons   were   constructed
from 1846, which was inhuman era of the modern jail system.

Thus   the   Jail   administration   in   India   is   illegitimate   heritage   of

British rule. It is based on the notion that the best criminal code can
be of little use to a community unless there is good machinery for
the infliction of punishments. 

Again in the year 1864, the Second Commission of Inquiry into Jail
Management and Discipline made similar recommendations as the
1836 Committee. In addition, this Commission made some specific
suggestions regarding accommodation for prisoners, improvement in
diet, clothing, bedding and medical care. In 1877, a Conference of
Experts met to inquire into prison administration. The conference
proposed the enactment of a prison law and a draft bill was prepared.
In 1888, the Fourth Jail Commission was appointed. On the basis of
its   recommendation,   a   consolidated   prison   bill   was   formulated.
Provisions regarding the jail offences and punishment were specially
examined by a conference of experts on Jail Administration.

In the Prisons Act, 1894, under which the present jail system and
administration operates in India. This Act has hardly undergone any
substantial   change.   However,   the   process  of  review  of  the   prison
problems   in   India   continued   even   after   this.   In   the   report   of   the
Indian Jail Committee 1919­20, for the first time in the history of
prisons, 'reformation and rehabilitation' of offenders were identified
as the objectives of the prison administrator. Several committees and
commissions appointed by both central and state governments after
Independence   have   felt   the   importance   of   the   humaneness   of   the
conditions   in   jail.   The   need   for   completely   overhauling   and
consolidating   the   laws   relating   to   prison   has   been   constantly
highlighted.

The Government of India Act 1935, resulted in the transfer of the
subject   of   jails   from   the   center   list   to   the   control   of   provincial
governments and hence further reduced the possibility of uniform
implementation   of   a   prison   policy   at   the   national   level.   State
governments   thus   have   their   own   rules   for   the   day   to   day
administration of prisons, upkeep and maintenance of prisoners, and
prescribing procedures.

In 1951, the Government of India invited the United Nations expert
on correctional work, Dr. W.C. Reckless, to undertake a study on
prison administration and to suggest policy reform. His report titled
'Jail Administration in India' made a plea for transforming jails into
reformation centers. 

The Report also recommended the revision of outdated jail manuals.
In 1952, the Eighth Conference of the Inspector Generals of Prisons
also   supported   the   recommendations   of   Dr.   Reckless   regarding
prison reform. Later on, the Government of India appointed the All
India   Jail   Manual   Committee   in   1957   to   prepare   a   model   prison
manual.   The   committee   submitted   its   report   in   1960.   The   report
made   forceful   pleas   for   formulating   a   uniform   policy   and   latest
methods relating to jail administration, probation, after­care, juvenile
and remand homes, certified and reformatory school, borstals and
protective homes, suppression of immoral traffic etc. The report also
suggested  amendments  in  the  Prison Act  1894  to provide  a legal
base for correctional work. On the reformatory theory of Mahatama
Gandhi .

All the State the law have attributed some rights & some duties to
every   human   being   living   within   it.   Such   human   being   living
permanently in the said state can be called as citizen of the said state.
The right, responsibilities and duties are essential for all the citizen
of   the   society   for   proper   &   fullest   development   of   personality.
Mostly   the   right   which   are   conferred   on   every   citizen   (also   non
citizen)   are   enforceable   by   the   court   of   law.   Therefore,   if
circumstances arises and citizen or non citizen violates any law or
rule, the state (or the victim) wants justice through the process of the
court.

In India, the administration of justice is basically divided into two
parts.

a)    Civil Justice Administration (i.e. individual claims)

b)  Criminal Administration Justice.

Whenever  a  right   of  individual   is  violated  by  another,   he   suffers

loss/injury in the form of damage or loss to his property or to his
person or to his reputation. Then the victim citizen wants the remedy
for the loss or injury from state authority  through intermediation of
the   court.     the   victim   may   seek   the   remedy   in   the   form   of
punishment   to   wrong   doer   or   in   form   of   compensation   from   the
aggressor.   But   under   administration   of   civil   justice   the   ultimate
purpose  is to provide  compensation to the person, whose  right  is
violated.

On the other hand in the administration of criminal justice the final
purpose   is   to   inflict   punishment   on   the   wrongdoer.   The   purpose
behind it is that the Crimes as well as the Criminal habits are to be
stopped, deterrence must be visible, and crimes be eradicated from
the Society. As per the administration of criminal justice, the justice
is dispense by the court to the victim of crime by taking revenge for
him and by punishing the wrongdoer, if he is found guilty.

As per law, ii is be stated that whenever an individual is claimed to
be as accused, the said individual is termed as accused and he has
been   apprehended,   detained   and   interrogated   and   after   checking
prima facie indications, he finally arrested for the alleged offence, is
to be dealt with according to legal process established by the law and
he is not to be treated arbitrariness of the investigators. It is long
drawn   experience   of   our   society   that   an   individual   from   weaker
section or form indigenous class of people, who are innocent and
happens   to   come   in   to   the   clutches   of   investigators   are   being
interrogated   against   the   laid   down   spirit   of   law,   the   are   being
subjected   to   third   degree   treatment,   the   being   mentally   and
physically tortured to confess the crime, which unknown might have
committed. Such physical and mental trouble or harassment should
not be caused to alleged accused. For that purpose law has provided
some   safeguards,   securities   &   protection   by   laying   down   the
legislation. In other words whatever the rights which are provided to
an accused by law are to be availed to the suspect accused for fair
and free justice. In Similar circumstances, the situation with respect
to   under   trial   suspect   prisoners,   alleged   accused   and     convicts.
Whatever the rights are attributed to them are to be availed by such
category of the Prisoners.

For redressing the legal rights available to individuals, who are in
awkward circumstances, whom are kept in police custody and in jail
as alleged suspect and as convict. On such backdrop of individual
awkward circumstances, this topic is chosen by the researcher.

Most of the citizen in our country are semi literate and hence they
have   not   fully   acquainted   with   their   civil   rights,   thei   legal,   their
constitutional   rights   and   criminal   judicial   system.   The   actual
situation in india is quit worse in our country. Moreover, Illiteracy in
our country prevails over the majority of our citizens. Among the
literate   population,   on   prima   facie,   it   seems   that   legal   literacy   is
negligible   &   need  not   to   be   said   about   legal   literacy  of  illiterate
population. Thus, legal knowledge about the rights of the persons is
at greater extents, not known to people at large.

All the Human being have guaranteed with civilized treatment in all
the adverse circumstances. Such Fundamental Rights and legal rights
being immunities denote that there is a guarantee that certain acts
cannot or ought not to be done to a person against his will by the
authorities.   According   to   this   concept,   human   being,   including
accused, being suspect, under trial prisoners, or prisoner of war, or
detenue, convicts and prisoners, by virtue of their humanity ought to
be protected against unjust and degrading treatment.

Such individual being arrested due to adverse circumstances, though
such individual found guilty or   innocent find themselves, but they
seems helpless before the  authorities of inviestigation and also such
individual   when   made   as   accused   are   helpless   before   officers   of
administration of justice in absence of the rightful legal provisions.

"Power   tends   to   corrupts   and   absolute   power   corrupts

absolutely."……Lord Acton

In India and in most of the countries of the world, police force and
jail   authorities   remain   in   powerful   position   which   tends   them   to
abuse   the   rights   of   accused,   arrestees,   under   trial   prisoners   and
convicts, or tends them to take bribe. India, also for long time was
suffered   from   Police   State   or   Totalitarian   State   condition,   and
position is still somewhat same.

In the popular culture too the proverb of “Angrezo ke zamane ka
jailer”  is  practiced in situation,   which  signifies  the  dictatorism   in
prisons.     After   the   independence,   our   country   have   emerge   the
concept of welfare state in India, even though for very extent our
Police force and jail authority remains unaffected, with its traditional
and century old attitude.

Fundamental   rights   of   accused,   arrestees,   detinue,   under   trials,

prisoners and convicts have been secured by various criminal laws
of India and also by Constitution of India. Supreme court directions
in the D.K. Basu case. The Indian Criminal laws such as Code of
Criminal Procedure 1973, Indian Penal Code 1860, Prisoners Act
1894, India Evidence Act 1872, Juvenile Justice Act 2000, Probation
of Offender Act 1958, COFEPOSA Act 1974, NDPS & Jail Manual
of states, and Police manuals etc. are the protector of the rights of
above classes.

All   the   citizens   have   been   held   to   have   a   number   of   rights   as

ingredient of Right of Life and Personal Liberty, Right to Equality,
Right   to   Freedom   under   corresponding   Articles   21,   14   &   19   of
Constitution   of   India   in   all   the   circumstances.   Besides,   under   its
wide   interpretation   of   fundamental   rights   under   chapter   III   of
Constitution of India Supreme Court pronounces certain rights. By a
series of judgment regarding rights of suspects, under trials, convicts
& prisoners, the S.C. has fabricated Police & Prison Jurisprudence.
Certain   rights   have   been   made   as   components   of   Fundamental
Rights.   In   fact   the   court,   through   its   judicial   pronouncement   has
made out a strong case for prison reform and in the process it has
shaped   a   code   in   this   regard.   But   legislation   has   passive   attitude
towards   the   codification   of   these   rights,   so   also   true   for   its
implementation.

After   the   continuous   intervention   of   Hon.   Supreme   court   in   the

matters of jail and bar betters, the prison reforms are visible. Still
None wants to go to jail however good the prison might be. To be
deprived   of   liberty   and   family   life   and   friends   and   home
surroundings is a terrible thing.

To improve prison conditions does not mean that prison life should
be made soft, it says that lives in custody should be made socialize,
humane and sensible. 

Awareness   about   the   rights   of   accused,   under   trial   prisoners   &

convicts is necessary to protect innocent citizen from being arrested
& harassed by the police merely on the suspicion complicity in an
offence, to avoid executive highhandedness, to safeguard the dignity
& humanity of under trial prisoners & convicts.   Almost one century
ago all the types of offences and crimes where regarded anti social
and termed as heinous. 

There were religious do and don’ts. The communities had set certain
norms as set principle of laws. There were no scientific classification
of   crime   and   Criminals.   There   were   no   scientific   methods   of
investigation of crimes, procedure to determine guilt and fixed sort
of punishment to be given to the convicts. But the concept of crime
is always changing so also the concept of right changes according to
time, situation & circumstances. 

In India Right to Life & it's ancillary rights such as Right to Live
with   Human   Dignity   etc.   are   recognized   after   the   independence.
Consequently though, the person is suspected under trial prisoner or
convicts have some inherit rights because in the end he is a human
being.

AIMS   AND   OBJECTIVES   OF   THE   PROPOSED

RESEARCH WORK
Criminal   Jurisprudence   and   it's   process   can   not   be   appreciated
without some understanding of the rights & protection given to the
suspect accused person not only during the trial but also before and
after trial. These rights and protections aim at providing a fair trial to
an accused persons so as to eliminate any possible abuse of process
resulting in miscarriage of justice. 

The accused rights includes right to be produce before the magistrate
within 24 hours of the arrest (Article 22 of Constitution of India &
section 76 of Cr. P.C.), right to bail to the accused (1st schedule of
Cr. P.C.), reasonable right to be release on bond (section 440 (i)
Cr.P.C.), Right to have counsel and legal aid {Article 22 (3) and
Article 39 ­ A of Constitution of India , also sections 303 and 304 of
Cr.P.C.},   The   principle   of   Legality   (Article   20),   Principle   of
presumption innocence section 101 of Indian Evidence Act 1872,
Right to speedy investigation and trial etc. 

Our   criminal   justice   system,   even   today,   find   itself   helpless   to

provide   fair,   free,   cheap   and   speedy   justice.   After   65   years   of
independence, none of the genuine efforts have been made to redraft
Penal norms, radicalize punitive processes, humanize prison houses
and   make   antisocial   &   antinational   criminals   such   as   hoarders,
smugglers, tax evaders, black marketeers, white collar criminals etc.
On   the   other   hand   whatever   legislation,   piecemeal   amendments,
substitution and deletion that have taken place during the last five­
six decades to ameliorate the conditions of the downtrodden masses,
are all aimed protecting the interests of rich and bourgeoisie class.

Of course, judiciary in recent years has taken a lead & has come
forward with a helping hand to give some relief to the victim of
criminal judicial system. 

For   instance,   the   landmark   decision   handed   over   by   the   Hon'ble

Supreme Court in Haskot 1, Motiram  2 , Hussainara 3 Sunil Batra4 ,
Sheela Barse5 Charles Shobharaj 6 , Nilabati Behra7 , D.K. Basu8,
etc.   have   depicted   that   despite   the   Constitutional   mandate   and
statutory guarantees, the legal rights even today remain not existence
for a large percentage of the illiterate, ignorant & poor population of
the country.The problem of undertrial prisoners has assumed new
proportion in recent year. In India, there are many reasons such as
poverty, illiteracy etc., of which under trial prisoners, become prey
easily. They are languishing in various jails in different States for
period much longer than the maximum term for which they could
have   been   sentenced,   if   convicted.   Many   of   them   are   innocent
persons who are cought in the web of the law eagerly waiting for
their trial date. 

It would be unjust and unfair to deprive a person of his freedom and
liberty  and  kept   him   in  confinement,   if  his  presence   in  the   court
whenever   required   for   trial,   is   assured.   The   plight   of   under   trial
prisoners for the first time came to the notice of Supreme Court of
India in Hussainara Khatoon Vs. State of Bihar I.
In   1979   wherein   it   was   disclose   that   thousands   of   under   trial
prisoners   were   languishing   in   various   jails   in   state   of   Bihar   for
periods longer than the maximum terms for which they could have
been sentenced , if convicted. While granting a character of freedom
for under trial who had virtually spent their period of sentence, the 

_______________________________________
1 M.H.Haskot Vs.State of Maharastra A.I.R.1978 S.C. 1548 2 Motiram Vs. State of 

U.P. AIR 1978 S.C. 15943 Hussainara Khatoon Vs. State of Bihar (1980) S.C.C. 88)4 
Sunil Batra Vs. Delhi Administration AIR 1980 S.c. 15795 Sheela Barse Vs. State of 
Maha A.I.R. 1983 S.C. 3786 Charles Shobharaj Vs. Supretendent, Central Jail A.I.R. 
1978 1514 7 Nilabati Behara Vs. State of Orrisa (1993) 2 S. C.C. 7468 A.I.R. 1997 
S.C. 610

court observed that their detention was clearly illegal and a blatant
violation of their fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of
the Constitution of India. The court further said that speedy trial is a
constitutional mandate and the state connot avoid its constitutional
mandate   and  its   constitutional   obligation  by  pleading  financial   or
administrative   inability.   Despite   the   Supreme   Court's   landmark
decision   in   Hussainara   Khatoon,   the   conditions   of   under   trial   in
prison are no better and more than a lakh of under trial prisoners are
languishing in the prisons of India at present. 

The provision of section 167 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973 regarding time limit for completion of police investigation and
that of free legal aid to indigent and poor under trial or liberalization
of jail justice system etc. have not helped in minimizing the number
of under trial prisoners in Indian jails.

It   is   a   well   known   dictum   of   traditional   Principle   of   Mahatma

Gnadhi that "Hate the sin not the sinner". 

Suspects and the  convicts, in the entire situation cannot be put at
same place as most of them became prey of their own destiny. Since
from   the   old   days   prisoners   have   some   rights   but   powers   to   the
public officials were very wide and still continuing wide powers are
enjoying  by  them   at  many  instances.   The   rights   of  prisoners  and
convicts are abused.

A prisoner does not cease to be a person inside a jail and is, as such,
entitled to receive a reasonably decent and civilized treatment in the
prison.

There are certain legal and constitutional mandate which protect and
safeguard the rights and interests of the prisoners. The Prisons Act
1894, The prisoners Act 1900, The Transfer of Prisoners Act 1950,
The   Repatriation   of   Prisoners   Act   2003,   The   Repatriation   of
Prisoners   Rule   2004,   Jail   Manuals   of   various   States,   India   Penal
Code   1860,   Code   of  Criminal   Procedure   1973,   Police   Act,   along
with   several   landmark   verdicts   of   Hon.   Supreme   Court   which
_______________________________

1 1980(1) S.C.C. 8891.

gives   rights   against   solitary   confinement,   right   to   meeting   with

family member and friends, right to expression and communication,
right   against   inhuman   treatment,   right   against   delayed   execution,
right against custodial torture in Prison, right against use of fetters.

There is, however, hardly any change in the conditions of the jail
and the attitude of jail administration and in spite of Constitutional
mandate for speedy trial, there are over two lack prisoners, convicts
and under trials who are endlessly awaiting an early hearing of their
cases1.

But all of the above provisions failed to bring out any change in the
conditions of the jail and attitude of the jail Administration. More
recently   the   Supreme   Court,   in   its   landmark   decision   in
Ramamurthy  Vs  State of Karnataka  2  has identified nine major
problems which need immediate attention for implementing prison
reforms.   The   court   observed   that   the   present   prison   system   is
affected with the major problems of ­
(1) Overcrowding Jail (2) Lengthy trial and delay in Appeal (3) 3 rd
Degree Torture and ill treatment (4) neglecting the health issues and
hygiene   (5)  insubstantial   food   and  inadequate   clothing  (6)  Prison
vices (7) communication blockage (8) streaming of jail visits and (9)
Administration of open air prisons (10) not allowing sex.

It also suggested replacing the archaic Prison Act 1894 with a new
enlightened statute, so that major problems are reduced in jail to the
minimum   possible   extent   and   cordial   and   friendly   relationship   is
established between prisoners and jail staff. as Kuldeep Singh and
Hansaria JJ. said :

"Unless there is introspection on the part of all concerned with the
criminal justice system, issues relating to jail reform, improvement
in the prisoners condition, and better administration of justice will 
______________________________

1 "Humanizing the prisons system" The times of India, 15 Jan 1997 

p.11), 2 (1997) 2SCC642)

continue to remain on paper. It is possible to reduce the backlog of
criminal cases if the judiciary and lawyers together resolve to refrain
from unnecessary and repeated adjournments."

Hence, at last, it can be concluded that there is need to improve the
techniques   of   handling   the   accused   person,   treating   under   trial
prisoners and radically changing the worse conditions of convicts by
appraising   the   old   one   and   comparing   with   reformative   works   in
other Countries and reconciling with human rights perspectives and
international covenants.

The aims and objectives of the proposed research is enumerated as
follows ­

1.   The   researcher   shall   point   out   constitutional   and   basic   rights

which  are  available  to  accused,  suspect,  under  trial  prisoners  and
convicts   under   the   criminal   laws   of   India,   Constitution   of   India
Human Rights Jurisprudence and under the International obligation
in the Form of International Covenants.

2.   Present proposed research work aimed at finding the conditions
of under trial prisoners after the verdict in DK Basu case.

3. The torture,   oppression and abuse of the powers by officers of
administration   of   Justice   are   done   easily   and   frequently.   The
proposed work is aimed at finding the main reasons behind it.

4. The thorough study of the criminal law administration of India,
Constitution, Judicial Pronouncement, Human Rights Jurisprudence
and International Covenant regarding the rights of alleged accused,
suspect under trial prisoners and convicts would help at knowing the
depth   and   genuineness   of   the   jail   menace,   &   bringing   out   the
positive suggestions.

5. In this study we have to find out the awareness about these rights
among the accused, under trial prisoners and convicts and also in
other members of the society.

6. This research work includes visit jails, police stations and court of
law, for the appraisal of the present conditions about these rights
prevailing therein.

7. The proposed research is to be done for bringing awakening in the
awareness   about   the   rights   of   accused,   under   trial   prisoners   and
convicts   in  them,   social   organizations,   and   other   members   of  the
society.

8. There is need to improve the techniques of handling the accused
persons,   treating   under   trial   prisoners   and   radically   changing   the
worst conditions of convicts and prisoners at both administrative and
legislative level.

9.   Human   Rights   perspectives   and   International   Obligations

regarding these rights with their effective implementation systems
are very important to protect and safeguard the rights and interest of
the accused, under trial prisoners and convicts.

10.   Every   effort   should   have   to   be   made   to   avoid   delay   in

investigation & trial which is harmful not only to accused, under
trial prisoners, but also to the society.

11. The present subject in the proposed work has gain the national
importance   in   the   global   awareness.   Only   challenge   posed   to   the
society for the genuine implementation of these rights without any
discrimination. It is ardent desire of researcher that human dignity,
which   comes   in   clutch   at   the   whim   of   administration,   should   be
protected & safeguarded.

________

SCOPE & LIMITATIONS OF THE WORK
Rights of alleged accused, suspect, under trial prisoners and convicts
have   global   and   multidimensional   aspect   relating   with   human
dignity.   These   rights   should   be   protected   for   securing   and
maintaining   the   human   dignity   and   also   protecting   the   innocent
persons.   These   rights   should   not   be   abused   at   the   cost   of
administrative and executive and whenever required needs and shall
receive   legislative   and   judicial   attention.   The   proposed   research
crystallize various aspects of rights of accused, under trial prisoners
and convicts which are necessary for the protection of basic values
cherished by the people of this country (India) since the Vedic times
and they are calculated to protect the dignity and create conditions in
which all these people can develop their personality to the fullest
extent.

Under this work the following aspects shall be considered in depth,
i.e. Rights of accused, under trial prisoners & convict under criminal
laws of India, Constitution, International covenants, rights derived
from judicial pronouncement and its Human Rights Perspectives.

Findings and conclusions from empirical study & model forms of
questionnaires and its interpretation is the part of the propose work.
This deals with non­doctrinal aspect of proposed work. It includes
practical visits to court, Jail, Police Station, to find out practicalness
of the problem and appraisal of present conditions in jail and police
station.

The most of the research work shall be based on the law pertaining
to India and wherever it is necessary to take into consideration the
International Covenants, shall be considered.

At   last   the   proposed   work   concluded   with   conclusion   &

recommendations.

­­­­­

METHODOLOGY
For handling this present proposed research work in an appropriate
manner and giving useful output from the work, both the doctrinal
(i.e. analytical) as well as empirical method would be most suitable
and perfect. Hence, in the proposed work, both these method have
been   and   will   be   utilized   very   well.   Doctrinal   method   involved
arranging, ordering and systematizing legal propositions, analysis of
case laws and study of legal institutions through legal reasoning. The
data or information will be collected from legislative texts, foreign
laws, international conventions and judicial decisions.
The empirical research is carried on by collecting and gathering data
or information by first hand study into the universe. This proposed
work will includes the preparation of questionnaires, practical jail
visit,   visit   to   police   stations,   office   of   executive   magistrates   and
Courts. The questionnaires are to be prepared to find out about the
awareness of the rights of accused, under trial prisoners and convicts
in themselves, in executives and public officials, in family members,
friends and social organizations.

Yet another object of preparing the questionnaires is to know about
the reformative steps that have been taken at the Government level
about the conditions of accused, under trial prisoners, prisoners and
convicts. Visit to police stations and jails are to be done to know
about the conditions of accused , arrested persons, suspects, under
trial prisoners and convicts, the manner of classification of offenders
according   to   sex,   age,   and   gravity   of   offence,   scientific
individualization of offenders, treatment with under trial prisoners
etc.

It is thus, a fact research. It will seek to identify and appraise the
degree of variable, which influence the outcome and legal decision
making.

­­­­

HYPOTHESIS
The   abuse   and   oppression   of   the   rights   of   accused,   arrestees,
suspects, under trial prisoners and convicts were not new in ancient
India.   But   in   the   modern   era   of   welfare   State   the   concept   of
totalitarian State is foreign one when there is strong recognition of
Human Rights at global level. The accused, under trial prisoners and
convicts still themselves have not aware about their Rights, also true
about general public. In the proposed work the following Hypothesis
has been formulated.

i)        The alleged accused, suspect, under trial prisoners and
convicts   have   certain   rights  more   or  less   contains   in   the
Criminal   laws   of   India,   Constitution,   Jail   manuals,
International  Covenants  and Judicial  Pronouncement.  But
the real challenge is regarding their implementation.

ii)        Large of the Indian population is illiterate and also the

rate of legal literacy and awareness is negligible. Ignorance
of   the   general   public   regarding   their   rights   prevails   over
their awareness. 

iii)      One of the basic cause of such an unfortunate situation is
that   the   powers   which   are   given   to   the   police,   prison
authorities to fulfill their legitimate and essential functions
are capable of being abused and misuse by them to torture
man kind, to destroy lives and properties, to oppress and
intimidate the weak and to trample the constitutional rights
of the community as well.

iv)        The   judiciary   has   played   an   important   role   in   the

articulation and protection of the rights of accused, under
trial prisoners and convicts. The police jurisprudence and
prison   jurisprudence   developed   by   the   judiciary   are   of
worth value in safeguarding the existing rights and evolving
new rights.

v)      Abuse and oppression of the rights of the accused, under
trial prisoners and convicts are the crime against Human
dignity. But the present criminal laws and legal works in
this regard are inadequate and insufficient.

vi)       The necessity is to change the traditional attitude of the
public officials regarding the rights of accused, under trial
prisoners   and   constitutional   mandate   should   not   remain
only on paper but be practically applied and work out.

vii)      Human Rights perspectives and international obligation
in the form of International covenants regarding these rights
 are   important   and   great   weapons   for   protecting   and
safeguarding the rights and interests of the accused, under
trial prisoners, and convicts.

viii) There is eminent necessity of reformation in the important
areas   of   criminal   Judicial   system   in   regards   of   Public
Interest   Litigation,   Police   Jurisprudence,   Bail   Justice
Jurisprudence, Prison Justice, Compensation to Victims of
crime as a new wing of Victim ology, and in free legal aid
and legal services so as to ensure fair deal to the poorer and
helpless section of the community. 

ix)      It is strongly believed that there is eminent necessity to
take   a   new   approach   to   criminological   and   Penological
problem of crime and criminals in the Indian set tings, to
draft reformative penal, police and prison jurisprudence.

x)     That there is need of re­establishing the scientific method
of individualization of convicts.

xi)     The liberal remission and grant of frequent paroles to the
prisoners to spend time with their families would help to
inculcate   self   confidence   in   prisoners   and   reduce   the
intensity of some of the prison vices from the both sides i.e.
from prisoners and prison authorities.

xii)        An ideal  prison  condition must  provide  for  adequate

work,   vocational   training,   basic   education,   medical   and
recreation facilities for convicts.

xiii) The need of spiritual training and that of practice of Yoga
& and meditation will enable the prisoners to control the
evils of kama, krodha, mada, Lobha which dwell in human
body and help in gaining control over these evil forces so as
to turn them good men and good citizens. 

xiv) Last   but   not   least,   at   the   same   time   the   institutions   of
criminal   justice   should   be   moral   Hospitals   or   places   of
value education, but they should not be so comfortable as to
be attracted. 
 ----

CHAPTERISATION OF THE PROPOSED WORK

The following is a tentative break-up of a proposed work.

Chapter -1 - Introduction

Chapter 2 - Rights of suspect, alleged accused and Criminal law of India.

Chapter 3 - Rights of under trial Prisoners and criminal law of India.

Chapter 4 - Rights of alleged Prisoner of war and under trial Prisoners of war and
criminal law of India.

Chapter 5 - Rights of convicts and criminal law of India.

Chapter6- Rights of accused, under trial prisoners, convicts and their

constitutionality.

Chapter 7 - Rights of accused, under trial prisoners and convicts of special classes
(such as women, juveniles, lunatics, judicial officers, Persons having
contaminated diseases, husband & wife prisoners)

Chapter 8 - Rights of accused, under trial prisoners and convicts and Human
Rights Perspectives with reference to International covenants.

Chapter 9- Judicial Pronouncement with respect to rights of accused, under trial

prisoners and convicts.

Chapter 10 - Model forms of questionnaires- findings and Conclusions.

Chapter 11 - Conclusion

Chapter 12 - Recommendations

APPENDICES

i) Bibliography

ii) Important Statutory Provisions

iii) Table of cases.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) Administrative Law of India by M.P. Jain & S.N. Jain. 2)  Kelkar on 
Criminal Procedure by R.V.Kelkar, 4th Edn. 
3)   Constitutional Law of India by, M.P. Jain, 4th  Edn. 

4)  Indian Penal Code By Ratanlal Dhirajlal, latest,

5)  Human Rights by Dr. H.O. Agrawal, 3rd  Edn. 

6)  Principles of the Law of Evidence by Dr. Avtar Singh, 15th  Edn.

7)   Criminal Law (cases & material) by K.D. Gaur, 1999 

8)   The Under trial and the Supreme Court by Upendra Bakshi. 

9)  Criminology­Problems and perspectives by Ahmed Siddique, 1997 

10)  Criminology and Penology by N.V. Paranjape, 2001. 

11) Rights of arrested persons, Investigation and bail by Asim Pandya, 
2006.

12)  Supreme Court on Criminal Justice by R.K.Bag, 2 nd Edn. 

13)  Constitutional Law of India by Dr. J.N. Pande, 2005.

14)  Jurisprudence (Legal theory) by Dr.B.N.Mani Tripathi, 2003.

15)  Law relating to Juvenile Justice in India by R.N. Choudhari, 2005 

16)  Protection of Human Rights in India by V.K. Sirkar, 2004­05.

17)  The Probation of Offender Act, 1958 by Justice P.S. Narayanaya, 
2004.

18)  The Police Act .

19)  Model Jail Manual and Jail Manuals.

20)  All Police Manuals.