CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday refused to order the premature release of John David, sentenced to double life term for the murder of Pon Navarasu, a medical student of Annamalai University. A Division Bench of justices PN Prakash and AA Nakkiran refused to grant the relief accepting the contention of the prosecution that a decision on premature release of convicts vests with the State and cannot be claimed as a right. The judges dismissed a petition filed by John David’s mother Dr Esther seeking the orders for his release.
During the arguments, Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah vehemently opposed the plea for the early release of John David who was awarded double life by the Cuddalore Sessions Court in 1997, a year after he severed the head of Navarasu over an incident of ragging at the medical college in Annamalai University. Navarasu, who went missing on November 6, 1996, was found dead, with parts of his body severed, in a Chennai bus.