On January 9, a Supreme Court division bench led by Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S. Oka revealed that the states of Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, and Telengana, as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, had failed to submit data on the number of proclaimed offenders and persons who had jumped bail or parole, as directed in an earlier order. While hearing a criminal appeal filed by an appellant who jumped parole during the proceedings, the Supreme Court directed all states and union territories to provide aggregate and district-level data on the number of people who evaded arrest before, during, or after being released on parole. The court also ordered the home secretaries of the obstinate states and union territories to appear in court on the next scheduled hearing date, February 13. “We are left with no option,” remarked the bench.

The Haryana government informed the court in February 2020 that the total number of proclaimed offenders in the state at the time was 6,428, with 27,087 jumping bail and 145 jumping parole. “The situation is alarming!" a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph had exclaimed, before emphasising the importance of interstate cooperation in apprehending people fleeing from justice across geographical boundaries. The court also proposed a national portal with information on such delinquents that is open to the general public. In November, the bench expressed disappointment that none of the states had responded to an e-mail sent by the law officer requesting their response. The bench of Justice Kaul issued a cautionary note, saying, “We are thus left with little option to issue notice to all the States through chief secretaries making it clear that unless a response is sent to the e-mail of the ASG within one month, the home secretaries of the states would be required to remain present in court.”

Case Title: Kuldeep @ Monu v. State of Haryana & Ors. 
Citation: Criminal Appeal No. 1000/2011