The Orissa High Court has directed five college students, who are facing charge for criminally intimidating a classmate, to visit a circle jail near Cuttack city and compile report on hygiene maintained in the prison saying that “such experience will impel them to come out from the cocoon of their comfort to perceive the hard reality of life”.
The accused students pursuing their graduation course had perpetrated the crime on 28 December last year in Cuttack city. A case had been registered against them by the city police. However, the matter was amicably settled following police mediation with the accused teenagers tendering unconditional apology to the victim and his father. Later they moved the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR.
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“I am of the considered view that subjecting the petitioners to the rigors of the trial would be a futile exercise. Therefore, the petition deserves merit,” Justice Sibo Sankar Mishra observed in an order.
Taking lenient view in view of possible damage to their career prospects, the Single Bench Judge, Justice Mishra in a direction stated that “the petitioners shall visit Choudwar Jail, Cuttack, compile a report regarding the hygiene maintained in the jail premises and suggest positive measures regarding the same. They must furnish their suggestions to the jail superintendent and obtain a certificate from him to be filed before this court within four weeks”.
The conditional order has been issued by this court to sound a note of caution to the petitioners to deter from further indulging them in any such act as alleged in this case.
By visiting the jail premises, they need to realize the living condition of the prisoners in the jail, that experience will impel them to come out from the cocoon of their comfort to perceive the hard reality of life, and value human dignity and nudge into a positive direction and reform themselves into a good citizen, the order concluded.
