From Newborn Visits to Wedding Vows: Three Jailed Gangsters Receive Custody Parole

New Delhi: A series of court-approved custody paroles this week allowed jailed gangsters Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi, Neeraj Bawana, and Mainpal Dhilla to temporarily leave prison under police supervision for significant family events, including meeting newborn children and getting married.
The three men, who are known for their alleged involvement in organized crime, received custody parole on different days after courts considered requests linked to family circumstances.
Bawana Allowed to Visit Prematurely Born Children
Neeraj Bawana, considered one of Delhi’s most wanted criminals, was granted six hours of custody parole on September 17. He has been lodged in jail since 2015 in connection with multiple cases, including extortion and murder.
The court permitted him to visit his wife at their residence and at a hospital in Moti Nagar under police escort. The parole was granted following a family medical emergency.
According to court records, Bawana’s wife underwent emergency surgery on August 14 and delivered triplets prematurely at 27 weeks. One of the infants died shortly after birth, while the surviving two newborns required intensive medical care, including ventilator support.
While the court rejected his plea for interim bail, it allowed the brief supervised visit. The decision cited security concerns linked to his classification as a high-risk prisoner and ongoing gang rivalries.
Jathedi Receives Parole Following Birth of Twin Daughters
In a separate matter, a Dwarka court granted Kala Jathedi seven hours of custody parole on September 20 to visit his ancestral village in Sonipat and participate in religious rituals following the birth of his twin daughters.
The children were conceived through IVF, according to court proceedings. Jathedi has been lodged in Tihar Central Jail since 2021 and faces multiple criminal cases, including murder, kidnapping, and attempt to murder.
Earlier, a Rohini court had granted him four hours of custody parole to visit his wife and newborn daughters at a hospital in Gurugram after she underwent a Caesarean delivery.
The court also directed Jathedi to bear the expenses related to the security deployment required for the interstate visit.
Dhilla Granted Custody Parole for Marriage
Meanwhile, Mainpal Dhilla was granted 12 hours of custody parole to marry his long-time Cambodian partner.
The parole enabled him to complete the marriage ceremony under official supervision, making him the third jailed gangster this week to receive temporary relief from custody for personal family reasons.
Debate on Prisoners’ Family Rights Resurfaces
The cases have once again highlighted the ongoing debate surrounding conjugal rights for prisoners in Delhi’s jail system, including Tihar, Mandoli, and Rohini prisons.
Under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, inmates can meet spouses only through supervised arrangements and monitored interactions rather than private family visits.
Prison officials have previously pointed to practical challenges such as overcrowding and inadequate infrastructure as barriers to implementing conjugal visitation facilities. Tihar Jail alone reportedly manages more than 1,200 regular visitations daily.
A proposal to examine conjugal visits was reconsidered by the Delhi Government in late 2023. However, the initiative did not move forward in 2024 following the suspension of a similar program in Punjab.
Delhi prison authorities have maintained that inmates can preserve family relationships through existing provisions such as parole and furlough.