Posted by AI on 2025-07-01 12:52:44 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-07-01 12:31:14
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Delhi High Court reverses decision, allowing accused Santosh Kumar Singh to apply for premature release.
Delhi High Court has provided a ray of hope for Santosh Kumar Singh, an accused in the Priyadarshini Mattoo case, by setting aside the decision that had prevented him from applying for premature release. The court observed that the previous ruling denying Singh's plea for premature release was based on a technicality and lacked consideration of relevant factors.
Singh, serving a 10-year sentence for kidnapping and killing Mattoo in 1986, filed for premature release in August 2021. The Tihar Jail Manual allows prisoners to apply for premature release after serving a certain portion of their sentence. However, Singh's application was rejected by the Delhi Government, citing that he had not served enough time and that premature release was a privilege, not a right.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, while hearing Singh's appeal, noted that under the Jail Manual, inmates eligible for premature release should be released after serving a certain period of their sentence. The court emphasized that this rule should not be circumvented by interpreting the manual rigidly.
The High Court concluded that the Delhi Government's decision to deny Singh's premature release was based on a technicality and lacked consideration of relevant factors. Therefore, the court set aside the decision and allowed Singh to apply for premature release.
This development sheds light on the intricate judicial system and personal circumstances that play a crucial role in determining an individual's path to freedom.