Manu Sharma, undergoing life term for killing model Jessica lall in 1999, was granted parole on Thursday for a “specified period” by the Delhi High Court to enable him to appear for his llB first semester exams.
Justice Ashutosh Kumar extended the relief to the convict from December 10 to 15 and then from December 20 to January 1 next year, while directing him to “keep away from the houses of the witnesses and the deceased’ family members”. It asked Sharma to furnish a bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the like amount.
The court also said Sharma shall not “display any unruly behaviour during the period he was out on parole”.
“In case he (Sharma) is found involved in any of such behaviour, the authorities concerned can approach this court and request for withdrawal of the relief granted to him by this court,” said the court, adding that “parole is for a specified period and for a specific reason”.
It also made it clear that while the convict is supposed to appear for his exam at Chandigarh between December 26 and 30, he will not move out of the State for any reason.
Sharma through senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog had sought a month’s parole to write his exams, which were to commence from December 26 till December 30. But before that he also has to appear for a Personal Contact Programme beginning from December 11.
Observing that these are genuine prayers, the judge said he would not prevent Sharma from writing exams.
The court also noted that if police were allowing him to go for his exam at Chandigarh, then why he should not be allowed to attend the Personal Contact Programme at Chennai.
Senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi Government informed the court that the convict’s plea has been rejected by the lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
The court said Sharma should not make any excuse and shall surrender on December 15 before sunset. Sharma has completed a post-graduate diploma in Human Rights and is now pursuing a Bachelor’s in law course from Annamalai University, Chennai.
He was earlier granted 30-day parole on December 26, 2014, to appear for his post-graduation exams with a condition that he would keep away from the area around the residence of Jessica and her family members.
Sharma, son of former Union Minister Venod Sharma, was awarded life imprisonment by the High Court in December 2006 for killing Jessica lall in 1999.