New Delhi: The Delhi government, which had
come under fire for granting parole to Manu Sharma in Jessica
Lall murder case, on Wednesday came out with fresh guidelines to give
the relief saying convicts involved in offences like sedition
and whose release on parole has serious repercussion on
national security should not be given the facility.
Appearing for the NCT government, Solicitor General
Gopal Subramanium furnished a copy of the drafted guidelines
for the court's approval and said only the Lieutenant Governor
has the power to grant parole.
"Convicts whose release on parole is considered to be
dangerous or a threat to national security...and prisoners who
have been involved in crimes and offences against the state
like sedition or who have been found to be instigating serious
violation of prison discipline would not be eligible for being
released on parole," the senior counsel said.
Besides, "prisoners who have been convicted for murder
and rape of minor children, murder after rape, not citizen of
India and who have escaped from jail also will not be granted
parole," the Solicitor told the court.
Denying the allegation that the government grants parole
to rich prisoners and ignores the applications of the poor,
Subramaniam said that in the guidelines it was suggested that
the application for parole has to be decided not beyond three
weeks and the parole period should not exceed more than a
month.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 19:32