HC Says Delhi Govt Is Favouring Influential Convicts
Following parole to Jessica Lall murder convict Manu Sharma in an unusual way, the Delhi High Court has reprimanded the Delhi government for giving preferential treatment to convicts having high connections.
Noting the government takes three to six months to decide a parole application of a convict in normal cases, Justice Kailash Gambhirsaid that in the case of Manu Sharma, it disposed off his plea within 20 days.
“The list (regarding number of parole applications) depicts a dismal picture showing the government is giving least priority to parole applications of convicts. No doubt the home department has given selective treatment to some convicts because of their high connections,” Justice Gambhir said.
On a petition filed by Sumeer Singh, the court observed that a convict in the Connaught Place shooting case, seeking parole for three months to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against his conviction on the ground that his family members were illiterate.
Showing displeasure over the slack approach of the government, the court had issued notice on November 10 to the city government’s Home Secretary to personally appear before it to explain the delay in dealing with applications of parole despite its clear directives in this regard.
The court had on the last hearing on November 10 taken strong exception to the government not following its directions with regard to parole matters.
“Already this court has given direction that the parole applications moved by the convicts be given due priority and the same be decided within a period of 10 days and it appears that the directions given by this court are being implemented more in violations than in compliance,” the court had said.
The high court had also directed the government to file a list of parole applications received by it so far this year.
Sharma, who was released on parole from Tihar jail on September 22 on the ground of his mother’s illness, was reportedly spotted in a nightclub in a hotel in the city, triggering a controversy. He then returned to the Tihar Jail on his own on Novemeber 10.
