The Delhi Police's recommendation that a rape convict be given early release in August last year was turned down by the Delhi Government.
The convict, Duli Chand, who has been undergoing imprisonment for more than 13 years, was recommended for premature release by the Delhi Police on August 8 last year. His name figured in the list of 29 convicts that was sent by the Delhi Police to the Delhi for pre-mature release.
The Sentence Review Board (SRB) headed by the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in the meeting held later the same month had rejected the police's recommendation for Duli Chand.
The SRB comprises principal secretaries of Home and law and Justice Departments, District and Session Judge, chief probation officer and Director General (Prisons). The committee scrutinizes all the recommendations before approving the convicts for the pre mature release.
In the case of Duli Chand who has to undergo a total imprisonment of 16 years, nine months and 21 days for kidnapping and raping a minor aged four, the SRB rejected his premature release. While the police had recommended his release, the SRB observed that the crime committed by Chand was of heinous nature and so his release was rejected. Besides Chand, the board had rejected the premature release of 15 other convicts.
While examining such cases, the aspects including the circumstances in which the crime was committed, whether the convict has lost his potential for committing the crime considering his overall conduct in the jail, socio economic condition of the convict's family, recommendation of the police and the trade learnt by the convict in jail and the prospect of his rehabilitation are amongst some of the aspects that the committee looks into before approving a premature release.
However months after the SRB rejected the pre mature release of Dhuli Chand, he approached the court for a parole in the month of December last year. The police then made a U-turn and opposed his plea for a month-long parole. Chand has been undergoing imprisonment for more than 13 years. He is a resident of Uttar Pradesh and was working as a rickshaw puller in Delhi. He had kidnapped and raped a four year old girl.