GAJANAN EKNATH MURLE Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Ms T. Udeshi, learned counsel for the petitioner in Criminal Writ Petition No. 553/2007; Mr. V.M.Deshpande, learned counsel for the petitioner in Criminal Writ Petition No. 663/2007, Mr. A. Mardikar, learned counsel for the petitioner in Criminal Writ Petition No. 618/2007, Mr. T.A.Mirza, learned A.P.P. for respondents in Criminal Writ Petitions 553/2007 and in Criminal Writ Petition No. 663/07 and Mrs Joshi, learned A.P.P. for respondents in Criminal Writ Petition No. 618/2007.

(2.) Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith.

(3.) All these three criminal writ petitions are being disposed of by common Judgment and order since the challenge in all these petitions is to the punishments imposed upon the petitioners for prison offences committed by the petitioners. The learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Additional Public Prosecutors appearing for the respondents submitted that it would be necessary to lay down the guidelines for the purpose of imposing punishment in respect of the prison offences since several petitions are being filed by the prisoners challenging the punishments imposed on them on the ground that the punishment imposed have been arbitrary.