Model Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Mattoo’s murderers could be released soon
New Delhi : Santosh Singh, convicted in the 1996 rape and murder of Delhi University student, Priyadarshini Mattoo, is the latest name added to the list of prisoners who are being considered for an early release, a government official familiar with the development said.
The Sentence Review Board (SRB) will meet on Thursday and decide the fate of more than a hundred prisoners, including Santosh Singh, Manu Sharma and Sushil Sharma. The names of the latter two were presented to the SRB in its last meeting on June 24, when the board deferred a decision for the next hearing.
Santosh Singh has been in prison since 2006, since he was sentenced to death by the Delhi high court. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court in 2010.
Manu Sharma was convicted in 2006 for the murder of model Jessica Lall and given a life sentence. Sushil Sharma was convicted in 2006 in the Naina Sahni tandoor murder and also sentence to life imprisonment.
Last week, Delhi home minister Satyendar Jain’s office called the offices of the other six board members and informed them about the October 4 meeting.
The SRB, comprising Jain, director general (prisons) Ajay Kashyap, home secretary Manoj Parida, a Delhi police officer of the rank of joint commissioner, a district judge, law secretary Anoop K Mendirata, and a government-appointed probation officer, will meet and discuss if the prisoners should be released.
A prison officer said Santosh’s name has been included for the first time. A practising lawyer at the time of his arrest in 2006, he has a clean record in prison.
In 1996, Santosh Singh, son of IPS officer JP Singh, who was a joint commissioner in the Delhi police, was arrested for the rape and murder of third-year law student Priyadarshini Mattoo.
The 23-year-old was found dead at her house in Vasant Vihar in January 1996. The police said Singh stalked Mattoo for over two years. The two were fellow students at Delhi University.
In 1999, a city court acquitted Singh of the charges, highlighting inaction by Delhi Police. The verdict triggered protests across the country. India’s then president, KR Narayan, said that the “cathedrals of justice have become like casinos”. The police appealed the sentence in Delhi high court, which convicted him in 2006.
Confirming Singh’s inclusion in the list, a jail officer said, “As per the prison rules, we are duty-bound to include his name and send it to the SRB. His prison record in clean. He has not flouted any rule in the last 14 years.”
With most board members giving positive reviews about the prison conducts of Manu Sharma and Sushil Sharma, the board deferred the cases of the two men during the July 24 meeting. The two have also been transferred to the ‘open’ and ‘semi-open’ jail.
“It will be interesting what the board decides. Whatever they decide will be approved or denied by Delhi’s lieutenant governor. Interestingly, the Delhi HC, while hearing a PIL recently, reminded the state government about release rules. No prisoner can be kept in jail beyond 20 years. With remission, Sushil Sharma has completed 28 years, while Manu Sharma has done 20 years,” said a home department official who asked not to be named.
courtesy : hindustantimes.com
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
