The state today told the Bombay High Court that it can not allow prisoners to operate bank accounts from jails, through net-banking, due to rise in cyber crimes.

The High Court was hearing a PIL filed by one Sumit Giri, who is lodged in Thane central prison.

Among other things, Giri had demanded that prisoners be allowed to operate bank accounts.

However, in the affidavit filed before the court, Rajendra Sonavane, Inspector General, Prisons, says that this facility can not be given because of rise in "cyber crimes".

Giri had also said that wages given to prisoners for working prison workshops be revised.

Additional Public Prosecutor Anand Patil, who appeared on behalf of state along with Prosecutor P A Pol, said that wage-rates have been revised upwards from September 1.

As per the new rates, a skilled worker now gets Rs 40 per day -- which is a rise of nearly 40 per cent. A 'semi-skilled' worker now gets Rs 35 a day whereas unskilled worker gets Rs 25 -- a hundred per cent rise in both cases.

However, Giri had demanded that wages should be in the range of Rs 80-Rs 120 -- as under Minimums Wages Act. State opposed this, saying that prisoners can't be compared with beneficiaries of the Act, and state is already spending a lot of money on prisoners.