The Bombay High Court has asked the State government to consider afresh an application moved by Ravindra Sawant, convicted for shooting gangster Ashwin Naik in the sessions court, for pre-mature release.
A member of Arun Gawli gang, Sawant shot at Naik in the court at a very close range in April 1994. Naik suvived, but became wheelchair-bound for his life.
Sawant was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 1996. He applied for release after serving fourteen years, which is the minimum period of life sentence.
But early this year, State rejected his application, saying that he would have to serve at least 30 years.
The reason given was that his offence was grave and he had been convicted under TADA.
He challenged the same before High Court. In a decision yesterday, High Court noted that a person convicted for attempt to murder can not be made to undergo a 30 years' jail-term, even as per the government's own guidelines.
Court then asked the government to take a fresh decision on his application.
{{/usCountry}}Court then asked the government to take a fresh decision on his application.
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