Kolkata, Aug 13 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the additional director general (ADG), correctional services of West Bengal, to appear before it to explain the alleged delay in communicating its order to the state Home department on the transfer of a prisoner to a correctional home in Himachal Pradesh.

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Lawyer Sabir Ahmed, representing the state, submitted that the ADG Correctional Services, West Bengal has forwarded a copy of the court order dated August 6 to the Home Department on August 12.

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Taking exception to this, Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed that the ADG will be personally present before his court on August 23, the next date of hearing of the petition.

"It is made clear that on the adjourned date, the writ petitioner Ranjit Singh, shall be enlarged on bail and/or parole unless satisfactory reasons are shown to the contrary, by the ADG & IG, Correctional Services and the Home Department, West Bengal," Justice Mantha ordered.

"It is also made clear that in the absence of any decision/findings to the contrary, the writ petitioner, shall stand transferred from the correctional facilities under the State of West Bengal to the correctional facilities in the state of Himachal Pradesh," he directed.

Singh had moved the high court alleging non-consideration of parole as well as his transfer to a correctional home in his home state Himachal Pradesh since he has already been incarcerated for more than 11 years for committing an offence under IPC Section 302 (murder).

The petitioner prayed that he be transferred to a correctional home in Himachal Pradesh for the time being as he wants to be closer to his children and parents.

Justice Mantha had on the earlier date of hearing on August 6 noted that the authorities in Himachal Pradesh have communicated that the state government does not have any objection to take the petitioner into a correctional home under it.

A formal consent in this regard is required from the West Bengal government for the transfer of the prisoner.

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