New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the release of former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani, who are serving life term in poet Madhumita Shukla murder case.

The Uttar Pradesh prisons department had on Thursday issued an order for the premature release of Amarmani Tripathi, citing the state's 2018 policy on remission, since they have completed 16 years of imprisonment.

A bench of Justices Aniuddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued notices to the state government, Tripathi and his wife while seeking their replies within eight weeks on a plea filed by the poet's sister Nidhi Shukla.

The prisons department also cited their age and good behaviour as Amarmani is 66 and Madhumani is 61, the official said citing the order.

Amarmani Tripathi and his wife are currently admitted to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.

Poet Madhumita, who was pregnant, was shot dead on May 9, 2003, in Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow. Amarmani Tripathi was arrested in September 2003 in connection with the murder of the poet with whom he was allegedly in a relationship. A Dehradun court had sentenced Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani Tripathi to life imprisonment for the murder in October 2007. Later the Nainital High Court and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence of the couple. The case was probed by the CBI.

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Sundargarh (Odisha) (PTI): Six people were killed and five others injured after a vehicle in which they were travelling rammed into a truck in Odisha's Sundargarh district early on Saturday, police said.

The accident occurred near Gaikanapali area under the Hemgiri Police Station limits when the passenger-carrying van hit the truck from behind, a senior officer said.

"Six members of a 'kirtan' group died on the spot, and five others were injured. Maybe, the accident occurred due to fog in the area," he said.

The 'kirtan' party went to Chakkplai village for a programme on the occasion of Diwali, and the accident took place when they were returning to their villages.

The deceased people belonged to Kandagoda and Samarpinda villages in the district.

The injured persons were admitted to a local hospital, the officer said.

Local people blocked the road, demanding ex gratia for the victims' families.