LUCKNOW:  Gangsters lodged in Uttar Pradesh jails can now participate in video conferencing to attend court proceedings. The step is being viewed as a precaution to check interaction of criminals with the "outside world".

Authorities have been ordered to ensure that more video conferencing facilities are available in 73 courts and 72 jails throughout the state. Only criminal remand proceedings are now conducted virtually.

Incidents of undertrial prisoner escape would also be reduced with the whole administration of remand and trial of convicts via video conference.

Anand Kumar, the director-general of prisons, has asked the state government for authorization to hold a criminals' "virtual trial."

The need for criminals and gang members to be tried in prison itself was emphasised by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath so that officers would not have to ferry them there and back during case trials.

Kumar emphasised that this would also assist prevent criminals from threatening witnesses and planning to commit crimes when they are appearing in court for trial.

Apart from a Nari Bandi Niketan, an Adarsh Jail, and a Kishore Sadan, Kumar said that there are 72 active jails in the state, 62 of which are district jails. In 73 state courts, prisoners who are awaiting trial are remanded and put on trial. Each jail and court has a space where video conferencing can be used for remand sessions. But because there are so many prisoners, remand cases are heard all day long.

To conduct criminal proceedings via video conference, a letter was therefore submitted to the government requesting the creation of an more video conferencing room in every jail and courthouse throughout the state, according to Kumar.

Meanwhile, some well-known criminals lodged in uttar  Pradesh jails include Mukhtar Ansari in Banda,Anil Dujana, Anoop Bhati in Ayodhya, , Vijay Singh in Banda, Surendra Pandit in Kasganj, Amarmani Tripathi in Gorakhpur, Gayatri Prajapati in Lucknow, Sunder Bhati in Sonbhadra, Khan Mubarak in Hardoi, Yogesh Bhadauria in Meerut and Nahid Hasan in Chitrakoot.

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