HC grants parole to murder convict who wanted to find suitable match for himself

The Delhi High Court has granted four weeks parole to a murder convict, who sought the relief to find a suitable match for himself, saying the man has family ties in the society.

Justice Prateek Jalan granted the relief to the convict, serving life term since 2005, subject to his furnishing a personal bond in the sum of ₹25,000 to the satisfaction of the jail superintendent.

“In view of the fact that the petitioner (convict) has family ties in society, and seeks parole to enable him to maintain those ties, and it does not appear that the petitioners release would be especially injurious to the health of his family members, the petitioner is granted parole for a period of four weeks from the date of his release,” the court said.

The high court directed the jail authorities “to take all necessary public health precautions” at the time of release of the petitioner-convict and at the time of his surrender before the jail authorities after the period of parole expires.

The convict was directed by the high court to inform the Station House Officers of Punjabi Bagh and Civil Lines police stations, within whose jurisdiction his residence was located, about his mobile number which has to be kept switched on at all times.

“Twice a week, on every Monday and Thursday, between 11:00am and 11:30am, the petitioner shall make a video call to the SHO, PS Civil Lines and drop a pin on Google Maps so that his presence and location can be verified by the SHO,” the high court added.

With the direction, the high court disposed of the convict’s plea seeking parole to enable him to explore the possibility of finding a suitable match for marriage, to maintain social ties and family relations, and to curb inner stress and depression due to incarceration.

He had also claimed that his stress and depression, due to incarceration, has been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petitioner had moved the high court after the prison authorities in December 2019 rejected his application for parole.

The high court had on January 14 issued notice to the police and called for his nominal role. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the court’s functioning was restricted and his plea could not be heard.

Subsequently, he moved two applications – one seeking early hearing of his plea and another for grant of parole on the additional ground of coronavirus pandemic.

On the last date of hearing, the police had told the court that his application for parole was rejected by the authorities as on an earlier occasion when he was granted the relief in 2011, he committed an offence in respect of which he was convicted on February 22, 2018 for dacoity, robbery, and conspiring to commit these crimes.

On the ground taken by the police regarding violation of earlier parole, the court said despite his conviction in 2018, he was, thereafter, released on parole twice in 2018 and 2019 which were not misused by him.

The high court also noted in its order that according to the nominal role he worked as a sahayak in the jail and his conduct has been satisfactory at least for the last one year.

The petitioner was earlier convicted in 2005 in a murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court.

His appeal against the 2005 order of the trial court was dismissed by the high court in 2009.