1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION srk(3) CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 2011 OF 2010 Balraj Singh Gurubaksh Singh ..Applicant. v/s. The State of Maharashtra ..Respondent. .... Mrs. V.R. Bhosale, A.P.P. for Respondent/State. .... CORAM : J.H. BHATIA, J. DATE : 07TH JULY, 2010. P.C. 1 Heard the learned A.P.P. 2 The Applicant who is undergoing sentence of life imprisonment in a murder case is presently lodged in Central Jail at Kolhapur. By this application from jail, he has sought directions to the Jail authorities to permit the Applicant to celebrate his religious festivals and to prepare langer or food as per the religious traditions for which he will spend the money. He also seeks direction that for celebration of the religious festival the amount of Rs.1,500/­ per month which is permitted to be received, is not sufficient and therefore this limit may be relaxed. He 2 also seeks direction that he may be permitted to receive and read Punjabi news papers, magazines, books etc. and also to have correspondence with his relatives and friends in Punjab in Punjabi language. 3 On instructions from the Jail authorities the learned A.P.P. makes a statement that there will be no objection if the Applicant receives Punjabi news papers, magazines, books etc. for reading in the jail, nor there will be any objection to having correspondence with his relatives and friends in Punjab in Punjabi language. However, the learned A.P.P. states that as per the jail rules, religious festivals of the prisoners are allowed to be celebrated and whatever expenditure is required for such festival, is borne by the State and not by the jail inmates. He states that as per the rules no prisoner is allowed to receive more than Rs.1,500/­ per month and therefore, no exception can be made in respect of the present applicant. The Applicant may be allowed to prepare kadaha prasad as per religious traditions of the Applicant but for this he will have to spend from the funds available with him within the limit of Rs.1,500/­ per month. In my considered opinion, it will not be desirable to give any directions to the jail authority which would violate the jail rules, which are applicable to all the inmates. Therefore, the Application stands disposed of with following directions: 3 i) The Applicant will be permitted to receive and read Punjabi news papers, magazines and books and also to have correspondence with his relatives and friends in Punjab. ii) He shall also be permitted to celebrate his religions festival and prepare kadaha prasad as per his religious traditions with the funds available subject to the limit of Rs.1,500/­ per month as per the jail rules. 4 Application stands disposed of accordingly. [ J.H. BHATIA, J. ]