Hyderabad: 92 life convicts to walk free from Cherlapally prison

Hyderabad: Ninety-two life convicts, including 86 men and six women, are set to be released from Cherlapally Central Prison on Tuesday after being granted special remission by the Telangana government under its revised premature release policy. The beneficiaries were found eligible under guidelines framed in compliance with directions issued by the Supreme Court.

The Telangana Prisons Department had identified eligible life convicts as of February 1, and submitted the list to the government for consideration. The proposals were scrutinised at multiple levels, beginning with jail superintendents and later verified by an internal committee of prison officials before being examined by a standing committee comprising senior Home and Law Department officials and the Director General of Prisons.

Governor approves proposal after review

The proposal received Cabinet approval and was subsequently sent to Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla for final clearance. During a review meeting, Director General of Prisons Dr Soumya Mishra and Inspector General of Prisons N Murali Babu briefed the Governor, who approved the remission proposal.

The remission exercise follows the state government’s October 2025 order establishing a permanent policy for premature release of prisoners. The policy was framed after the Supreme Court directed states to adopt clear timelines for considering remission cases. Telangana now reviews eligible cases three times a year, on February 1, June 1 and October 1.

Second major remission exercise under Congress

This is the second large-scale remission exercise undertaken since the Congress government assumed office. In July 2024, the state granted special remission to 213 convicts, including 178 men and 35 women, leading to their release from prisons across Telangana.

Prison authorities said periodic release of eligible inmates based on good conduct and statutory criteria helps reduce overcrowding in prisons while promoting rehabilitation and reintegration into society.