सज़ा से परे मानव गरिमा: बॉम्बे उच्च न्यायालय के न्यायमूर्ति ने कैदियों के स्वास्थ्य पर बल दिया

A mistake shouldn't become person's identity: Bombay HC judge on prisoners' dignity

Justice Nitin Suryawanshi inaugurated a health camp at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Central Prison, stressing inmates' right to health, dignity, humane care and rehabilitation beyond punishment.

Bombay High Court judge Justice Nitin Suryawanshi on Saturday said a mistake in a person’s life should not become his entire identity, and stressed that prisons may restrict freedom but cannot take away hope, dignity or the possibility of a new life. He was speaking at the inauguration of a health examination and awareness camp at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Central Prison.

Justice Suryawanshi said the idea of justice goes beyond punishment and includes the protection of human dignity. He said prisons should be seen not only as places of punishment, but also as institutions for correction and rehabilitation, with proper attention to the health and well-being of inmates.

Addressing the gathering at the Harsul prison, he said, "While the law could restrict a person’s liberty following conviction or during judicial custody, it could not deprive the person of the right to health and dignity".

He added, "A mistake may be an event in a person’s life; it need not become his entire identity," and urged inmates to focus on reform and prepare to return to society as responsible citizens.

He said that along with physical healthcare, attention must also be given to the mental and social well-being of inmates. Timely medical examinations, he said, could help detect serious illnesses early, while preventive healthcare, treatment and counselling could make inmates’ lives safer and healthier. "An inmate’s or a free citizen’s illness does not recognise punishment and health knows no boundaries," he said.

Calling healthcare in prisons both a humanitarian responsibility and an expression of Constitutional values, Justice Suryawanshi appealed to society to see inmates not only through the lens of their past but also through their efforts at reform.

"Justice imposes punishment, but humanity offers an opportunity for transformation. Law imposes boundaries, but compassion shows new paths. And health gives a person the strength to walk on those new paths," he said.

The programme was organised with the participation of the Charity Department, prison administration, charitable hospitals, doctors and volunteers.

Advanced medical equipment, including a modern dental chair, stretchers, wheelchairs and a refrigerator for the prison hospital, was handed over at the event.

Organisers claimed that, for the first time in Maharashtra, medical equipment worth nearly Rs 10 lakh had been donated by various organisations to improve health services for prisoners. CPR training and demonstrations for inmates were also held at the facility.

Joint Charity Commissioner Nitin Jadhav described the programme as a coming together of justice, humanity, Constitutional values and social responsibility. Referring to Article 21, he said, "Imprisonment or judicial custody did not extinguish a person’s human existence or dignity".

He said restrictions of liberty could not be used to deny necessary healthcare. Jadhav also referred to Justice Suryawanshi’s judgment in Harshad Dinanath Bari vs. State of Maharashtra on judicial custody, personal liberty and Article 21, and said that while the judgment had no direct medical link to the programme, its broader values of human dignity and constitutional protection were relevant. "A crime may be condemned, but the human existence of the offender cannot be condemned," he said.

Central Prison Superintendent Anil Khamkar said taking inmates to outside hospitals, especially for specialised dental treatment, involved practical difficulties as security arrangements, vehicles and manpower had to be deployed each time.

Organisers said the new dental facility would allow several dental procedures to be carried out within the prison hospital, reducing the need for outside referrals and saving administrative time and manpower. The event underlined the importance of healthcare, dignity and rehabilitation within the prison system.

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