Unfazed since he returned to his cell in Presidency jail after being sentenced to life imprisonment by a CBI court two days ago, convict Sanjay Roy will have to perform rigorous tasks in accordance with the rule-book, said sources in the correctional facility.
Although Roy, who was convicted in the RG Kar rape and murder case, was a trained boxer before being appointed as a civic volunteer for the Kolkata police, his skills will not help him avoid hard labour during his tenure in jail, said an official at Presidency jail.
“Roy will be classified as an unskilled laborer. We are considering him for physically demanding jobs such as a sweeper, gardener, or warehouse labourer. His assignment in the jail has not yet been finalised. As an unskilled laborer, he will receive a daily wage of ₹100,” said the official.
Roy’s work in jail may range from lifting sacks of vegetables to cleaning the common toilets in the jail.
According to the jail rules, a skilled labourer’s daily wage is ₹135 and that of a semi-skilled labourer is ₹120. The wages get deposited into the convicts' bank accounts. Skilled labourers are generally engaged in works like plumbing and electrical work and carpentry. Semi-skilled convicts are typically engaged in kitchen works and some of them are given to play the role of a cell in-charge.
According to rules, half of the monthly earnings is considered expendable and can be used by a convict. The remaining half cannot be touched unless in case of an emergency in the family. If a convict wants to help his family in a crisis, the cause is verified by the police and only after approval, money can be transferred to a relative’s account for use.
The officer, however, pointed out there will be restrictions on how Roy spends the half his expendable earning in the jail. “It can be used to pay canteen bills or make phone calls from a booth inside the jail under the surveillance of jail officials. Convicts get to use their money only through bank transactions. No cash is handed to them. Roy will have to go through all these norms,” he explained.
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