The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over prisoners languishing in jail even after completing their sentence and directed all states and union territories to immediately release any such convict if he or she is not wanted in any other case.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan passed the direction while ordering the release of Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case. It noted that Yadav completed his sentence of 20 years in March this year without remission.

"Copy of this order should be circulated by Registry to Home Secretaries of all states and UTs to ascertain whether any accused or convict has remained in jail beyond the period of sentence," the bench said.

"If so, issue directions for release of such convicts if not wanted in any other cases. A similar copy shall be send to member secretary National Legal Service Authorities for onward transmission to all member Secretaries of state and UTs Legal Service Authorities for communication of District Legal Service Authorities in the states for the implementation of judgement," it added.