Government to consider remission petition

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the Delhi government to consider the remission plea of former Youth Congress leader Sushil Kumar Sharma, serving life term in the 1995 murder case of his wife Naina Sahni, in the upcoming meeting of Sentence Review Board (SRB) later this month.

The court said if the board declines relief to Sharma, the state shall file an affidavit before it detailing the reasons for rejection and whether the SRB guidelines formed by the State are binding on it or not.Justice Mukta Gupta also asked the government to explain in the affidavit the factors, which are to be considered while dealing with a convict’s application seeking to be released.

Sharma has also challenged the decision of the SRB, which examines the records of those who have spent more than 14 years in jail and those who were given life term, declining his plea for release.

The board, which was constituted in 2004 as per Supreme Court directives and is chaired by the Delhi home minister, decides on the pleas of convicts and other related issues. The board also has representatives of Tihar Jail, Delhi police and home department as its members.

The court was informed by Delhi Government Standing Counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra that the board’s meeting is scheduled in the last week of July and as per the Supreme Court, life imprisonment means life  and it is not mandatory to release a convict after spending 25 years in jail.

He, who is serving life term for murdering his wife Naina Sahni, chopping her body and throwing the parts in a tandoor in the restaurant here, has sought premature release on the grounds that he has spent over 25 years in jail.