Bengaluru: Top jail authorities have put in place stricter guidelines for prison inmate interactions in a bid to prevent hardened criminals from operating networks from behind bars and to curb misuse of privileges.Data from the Karnataka Prisons and Correctional Services shows that over 52,000 official meetings took place between inmates and visitors at the Bengaluru Central Prison in 2025 alone, underscoring the scale of interactions within the facility. Of these, 51,762 were regular interviews conducted through intercoms with a glass barrier, while 262 were classified as “special interviews,” allowing face-to-face meetings under supervision.It is this smaller category that has come under scrutiny. Director general of police (prisons) Alok Kumar said internal audits revealed that special interview provisions were disproportionately accessed by select inmates, including those arrested in terror-related cases.“Special interviews are meant strictly for exceptional circumstances. We found instances where they were being overused, which raised security concerns,” Kumar said. Officials believe such in-person meetings, conducted in rooms monitored by CCTV but allowing direct interaction, pose a danger of facilitating illegal coordination or communication by high-risk prisoners.———Prior nod needed for special interviewsUnder the revised guidelines, special interviews will now require written justification and prior approval from the chief superintendent of prisons. The number and frequency of such meetings have also been restricted. They will only be permitted under clearly defined conditions:-Serious illness or immobility of prisoner: Special interviews may be permitted by the head of the prisons, not exceeding once in a month, subject to security conditions-Death or medical emergency in family: In the event of the death of a close family member or a medical emergency in the family, the prisoner will be permitted a special interview-Imminent release or reintegration planning: Two months prior to the eligibility date for premature release, the convict may be permitted special interviews for the purpose of facilitating reintegration planning, including arrangements relating to employment, residence, counselling, or other rehabilitation measures-Other reasons: Special interviews are permitted to inmates if they are differently-abled persons or pregnant women.Even in these cases, security considerations will take precedence, and all meetings will continue under strict supervision.———Striking rights balanceRegular interviews will continue as before, twice a week for undertrials and once a week for convicts. Each interview can last about 30 minutes, conducted through intercom systems with physical barriers. Officials say the revised framework aims to strike a balance between maintaining inmates’ rights to stay connected with their families and preventing misuse of the system by those attempting to run operations from within prison walls.
