Women prison inmates getting pregnant, 196 babies born in Bengal

The Calcutta High Court has directed the transfer of a matter concerning the alarming revelation that women prisoners in West Bengal's correctional homes are reportedly getting pregnant while in custody.

The issue came to light as the court-appointed amicus curiae, Lawyer Tapas Kumar Bhanja, submitted a note detailing the concerning situation to a division bench presided over by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam.

The note presented by Bhanja highlighted the distressing fact that as many as 196 babies are currently residing in various correctional facilities across West Bengal. Expressing deep concern over these revelations, the bench acknowledged the seriousness of the issues raised in the note.

In response to the gravity of the situation, Bhanja recommended the prohibition of male employees from entering the enclosures of women prisoners to address the underlying concerns. Additionally, it was revealed that a copy of the note had been delivered to the office of the Advocate General of the state for further consideration.

To ensure thorough examination and effective adjudication of the matter, the court directed the transfer of the issue to a criminal division bench. Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam instructed that the matter be presented before him for necessary action in this regard.

The genesis of this development can be traced back to 2018 when a division bench, under the leadership of the then Chief Justice of the high court, initiated a suo motu motion addressing the issue of overcrowding in correctional homes within the state. Subsequently, several related matters were amalgamated with this motion and are currently being heard collectively.