SRB may take call on release of high-profile Tihar Jail convicts today

Among those whose applications would be reviewed include Siddharth Vashishta alias Manu Sharma, convicted of model Jessica Lal’s murder and Santosh Singh, convicted in the murder of Delhi university student Priyadarshini Mattoo.

Nine months after the last sentence review board (SRB) met to decide the release of prisoners from Tihar Jail, the board will meet again on Friday to decide the applications of 200 people, including certain high-profile convicts.

An inside view of the Tihar Jail. (Sonu Mehta/HT)

Among those whose applications would be reviewed include Siddharth Vashishta alias Manu Sharma, convicted of model Jessica Lal’s murder and Santosh Singh, convicted in the murder of Delhi university student Priyadarshini Mattoo.

Two months ago, Delhi home minister Satyendar Jain, who is the chairperson of the seven-member board, had fixed May 24 as the meeting date. It was postponed at the last-minute as the minister was unavailable.

A state home department official, who did not wish to be named, said Jain’s office had last week informed the other board members about the meeting on July 19 (Friday).

Other members of the board are the prison’s director-general, state home secretary, state law secretary, a district judge, the government’s chief probationary officer and a joint commissioner-rank officer of the Delhi Police.

If the seven-member board votes by a majority to release any prisoners, the verdict is sent to the Delhi lieutenant governor, who may either approve or decline the release.

Manu Sharma, son of Haryana politician Venod Sharma, had approached the Delhi High Court with a plea for early release.

The court, on January 21, asked the SRB to consider Sharma’s plea during the next meeting on grounds of good conduct and having completed the mandatory 14-year jail term.

Sharma had approached the court after the board rejected his release last October. Sharma filed his plea a month after the Delhi high court ordered the release of former Delhi Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma, convicted of his wife’s murder in the Tandoor murder case. Sushil, who spent over 23 years in prison, had approached the high court when the board rejected his plea in the October meeting.

A senior jail officer, who confirmed they have received an intimation about Friday’s meeting, said in Sharma and Santosh Singh’s case, the two had received positive remarks and a no-objection from Delhi police and their respective jail superintendents for their release.

The two were transferred to the open and the semi-open jail for their “good conduct” last year.

Prisoners who have a clean record in jail and have completed over 14 years are eligible for transfer to open jail.