Manoj Kumar Verma v. Government Of NCT Of Delhi
$~29 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(CRL) 3189/2023 & CRL.M.A. 8064/2024 MANOJ KUMAR VERMA .....Petitioner Through:
Ms. Gayatri Nandwani, Ms. Mudita Sharda and Mr.
Adrian Abbi, Advocates.
versus GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through:
Mr. Rahul Tyagi, ASC (Criminal) with Mr. Sangeet Sibou, Mr. Mathew M. Philip and Mr. Aniket Kumar Singh, Advocates.
Inspector Yogesh Kumar, P.S.
Kalkaji.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA
O R D E R
% 31.01.2025 1.
The Petitioner is a convict in FIR No. 632/1995 under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 18601, registered at P.S. Kalkaji on 21st November, 1995. As per the order of sentence dated 22nd November, 1999, the Petitioner has been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life. The conviction of the Petitioner was also upheld by this Court in appeal, by way of order dated 22nd May, 2014 in Criminal Appeal No. 03/2000. 2.
The Petitioner has been in custody since 23rd November, 1995. In such circumstances, after completing 14 years of incarceration, the 1 "IPC"
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Petitioner had approached the Sentence Review Board2, for consideration of his pre-mature release. The case of the Petitioner was considered and rejected by the SRB vide minutes of the meeting held on 2nd March, 2022 and such recommendation of the SRB was approved by the Lt. Governor, Delhi on 6th May, 2022 vide Order F.18/102/2003-HOME(G)/PTX/2022/1314. Thus, aggrieved by the aforesaid decision, the Petitioner has approached this Court by way of the present petition, seeking the following reliefs:
"a) issue a writ of certiorari or any other writ, order or direction thereby setting aside Order F.18/102/2003-HOME(G)/PTX/2022/1314 dated 06.05.2022 accepting the recommendations / minutes of meeting of Sentence Review Board held on 02.03.2022 thereby rejecting the premature release of the Petitioner; b) issue writ of mandamus or any other writ, order or direction for premature release the petitioner forthwith;
c) in the alternative, release the Petitioner on bail / parole /furlough /etc. till the disposal of the present Petition; d) Pass such other and further orders/directions, as may be required in the interest of justice, and is deemed fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case."
3.
Counsel for Respondent informs that during the pendency of the present proceedings, the Petitioner's request for pre-mature release has again been considered by the SRB in the meeting held on 30th August, 2024 and 18th September, 2024 and the recommendations of the SRB are as follows: "Conclusion:
The Board considered the reports received from Police and Social Welfare Departments and took into account all the facts and circumstances of the case i.e. satisfactory jail conduct of the convict, no adverse reported during I. Bail, Parole and furlough availed, convict having no other/ criminal history, informative attitude etc, the Board after discussion at 2 "SRB"
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length unanimously RECOMMENDS premature release of convict Manoj Kumar Verma S/o Sh. Daya Shankar."
4.
Subsequently, the aforenoted recommendations of the SRB qua the Petitioner have been accepted by Lt. Governor of NCT of Delhi by issuance of order dated 4th December, 2024, in exercise of powers conferred under Section 432 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, read with notification dated 20th March, 1974, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. In the said order, the name of the Petitioner is mentioned in the tabulation at S.No. 19.
5.
In view of the foregoing, since Petitioner's request for pre-mature release has already been accepted, no further directions are required to be passed.
6.
In light of the above, the present proceedings are closed. SANJEEV NARULA, J JANUARY 31, 2025/as The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.