NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court ordered the release of a life-term convict on Tuesday, 26 years after his incarceration, criticising the Sentence Review Board (SRB) for rejecting his premature release plea on grounds deemed “arbitrary, irrational, and illogical.”
Justice Anish Dayal, who presided over the case, said the SRB’s evaluation procedures need “better compliance and deeper consideration” to align with principles of reformation and rehabilitation.
The convict, initially sentenced to life imprisonment on September 22, 2009, following his conviction under multiple charges, including murder and offences under the Arms and Excise Acts, had applied for premature release after serving a significant portion of his sentence.
Despite a spotless conduct record, multiple parole grants, and no instances of misuse of liberty, his plea was rejected by the SRB. Justice Dayal pointed out that the SRB’s decision appeared based solely on the severity of the original crime, the police opposition, and an ambiguous “etcetera,” which he described as “an unfortunate short-cut” indicative of “non-application of mind.”
In his assessment, Justice Dayal cited renowned jurist Justice V R Krishna Iyer, quoting, “Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future,” to underscore the potential for reformation in criminal jurisprudence.
The judge noted that a convict’s potential to re-enter society as a constructive individual must be pivotal in the SRB’s review.
Long-pending plea
The convict, sentenced to life imprisonment on September 22, 2009, following his conviction under multiple charges had applied for premature release after serving a significant portion of his sentence. Despite a spotless conduct record, his plea was rejected by the SRB.