Vikas Sidhu & ORS. v. State Gnct Of Delhi

$~106 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(CRL) 2251/2025 VIKAS SIDHU & ORS.

.....Petitioners Through:

Ms. Priyal Bhardwaj, Advocate versus STATE GNCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through:

Mr. Arjit Sharma, Advocate on behalf of Mr. Sanjeev Bhandari, ASC Inspector Ashwani Kumar, PS Adarsh Nagar

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAVINDER DUDEJA

O R D E R

% 22.07.2025 1.

The present petition has been filed seeking directions to the competent authority to consider the names of the petitioners for premature release in the upcoming Sentence Review Board ["SRB"] meeting. 2.

Learned counsel, appearing for the petitioners, submits that petitioners are serving life imprisonment. They all have undergone more than 14 years of imprisonment but their names have not been considered by SRB in the previous meetings. She further submits that jail authorities orally informed the petitioners that their names would not be forwarded as the Board is only considering the names of those convicts regarding whom the Court has issued specific directions/orders for premature release. 3.

Learned counsel further states that all the six petitioners meet the eligibility criteria for premature release and in terms of Clause 3.1 of The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 24/07/2025 at 12:29:57

Guidelines for Premature Releases by the Government of NCT of Delhi dated 16.07.2004 and Rule 1251 of Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. 4.

Mr. Arjit Sharma, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the ASC, submits that as per Rule 1252 of the Delhi Prisons Rules, certain categories of convicted prisoners undergoing life sentence would be entitled to be considered for premature release only after undergoing imprisonment for 20 years including remissions but not less than 14 years of actual imprisonment.

5.

In rebuttal, learned counsel for the petitioners states that the case of the is not covered under such special category of convicted persons, and therefore, they are eligible for premature release. 6.

I have considered the rival submissions.

7.

Petition is disposed of with direction that the cases of the petitioners for premature release be placed for consideration before the Sentence Review Board in its next meeting, subject to their fulfilling the eligibility and other criterias.

8.

A copy of this order be sent to Superintendent Jail for information and necessary action.

RAVINDER DUDEJA, J.

JULY 22, 2025 RM The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 24/07/2025 at 12:29:57