Overview

• Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the releases on X, saying those freed had served more than 14 years and were approved through due process.
• Prison Statistics in India-2022 shows West Bengal housed roughly 1.3 times its rated capacity as of December 2021, with 26,994 men, 1,778 women and 17 transgender inmates against capacity for 19,556 men and 1,920 women.
• RTI data reported by The Hindu indicates 'jankhalash' cases—people held after completing terms—rose from 277 in 2019 to 401 in 2022.
• Reporting notes a significant share of inmates are Bangladeshi nationals who can remain in custody after finishing sentences due to deportation and administrative delays.
• A NALSA quarterly report records 226 under-trial releases in West Bengal during April–June 2025 following UTRC recommendations, with under-trials comprising 78.68% of the state’s prison population.