The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi approved the premature release of Manu Sharma. (File)
New Delhi:
Women’s rights activists called the decision to prematurely release the murder case of Jessica Lal, which condemned Manu Sharma, “unfortunate”, saying that it sets a bad precedent. He was released from prison for “satisfactory behavior in prison”.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has approved the premature release of Manu Sharma, who is serving a life sentence in this case, according to an official order.
The Delhi Sentence Review Board (SRB), which reports to the Delhi government, recommended his release last month. The 43-year-old man, who spent around 17 years in prison, was released on parole as part of prison efforts across the country to avoid overcrowding in the coronavirus crisis.
Activist and politician Brinda Karat said there was absolutely no reason to give Manu Sharma a lenient release and that it was surprising that a council led by a Delhi minister made such a recommendation.
“On what basis did the Delhi Sentencing Review Board decide to recommend the release of a criminal convicted of the murder of a young woman three years earlier? This sets a very bad precedent”, she said.
“Good behavior is subjective … When someone is convicted, unless it is proven that he is not guilty, but that he is found guilty. He has a sentence of 20 years. .it should serve these 20 years and especially in such a case in which a young girl has been so brutally murdered. This therefore creates a false precedent, “added Ms. Karat.
Women’s rights activist Shamina Shafiq said the decision to release Sharma was “shocking” and “bizarre”.
“Already, the country has been facing crimes against women. For ‘Nirbhaya’, it took so many years of trouble to get justice for the family. Now we see one more person walking without tape and in the name of what? On the pretext of what? “she said.
“I hope that common sense prevails and that the government thinks about imposing harsh sanctions and sending a strong message to society instead of being so kind to criminals, especially those accused of abuse. is not something to cheer about … it is something to think about and really think about whether the government is really serious about “Beti Bachao” “or whether it is just slogans,” said Ms. Shafiq, former member of the National Women’s Commission.
Chhavi Methi of Bharatiya Samajik Jagritik Sanghatan called the development “unhappy”.
“The decision is unfortunate. It is very subjective what good behavior is and what work he really did to show” good behavior “. This should not be a reason to base an early release,” he said. she noted.
Yogita Bhayana, who heads the Rape Against India Party (IRAP), said, however, that Manu Sharma should benefit from the “benefit of the doubt”.
“… if he reformed and if he goes early because of his good behavior, it should be fine. I heard his stories of regret. What happened is unfortunate, but he regrets it, so he should benefit from it. And it’s not that he leaves very early, he leaves two or three years earlier. A murderer can be reformed and not a rapist, “she said.
The son of former union minister Venod Sharma, Manu Sharma, was convicted in 2006 for shooting model Jessica Lal after she refused to drink him a drink on April 30, 1999 Tamarind Court restaurant in Delhi owned by socialist Bina Ramani.
A trial court acquitted him of the murder, but the High Court, which resumed the case amid national outrage and protests, overturned the decision and sentenced him to jail. life. The Supreme Court confirmed the sentence in 2010.
