Agra , Aug 16 (IANS): Twenty-one prisoners who had completed their respective sentences but were serving extra time due to not being able to pay penalties in the Agra district jail, were released on Independence Day after a businessman paid fines worth Rs 1,73,000 on their behalf.

Shashikant Misra, Agra Jail Superintendent, said on Friday: "A total of Rs 1,73,711 had been imposed on these 21 prisoners. Though they served the jail term, they were not released since they failed to pay the amount. A businessman, Rakesh Sehgal, came forward to pay the penalties, after which we released them on Independence Day."

Sehgal, who runs an export business in Agra, said: "I got to know about the situation of these inmates from Misra and decided to help them out."

The Uttar Pradesh government had already freed 73 prisoners from across the state on Independence Day and with the release of these additional 21 inmates, a total of 94 prisoners were released.