Siddharth Vashisht alias Manu Sharma, undergoing life term for killing model Jessica lal in 1999, has been granted parole for 15 days by the Delhi High Court so that he can appear for his post-graduation exams. A vacation bench of Justice Sunita Gupta granted parole to 36-year-old Sharma on the condition that he shall furnish a personal bond of Rs50,000 with one surety, for the like amount, who shall be a family member.
The court also directed that Sharma will not leave the National Capital Territory of Delhi for the duration of the parole, which shall be effective from the date of his release. Sharma’s exams are scheduled to commence from June 19 and will end on June 24. He is pursuing the course from Indian Institute of Human Rights here which is recognised by the United Nations.
Senior advocate S Nandrajog and advocate Arpit Batra, appearing on behalf of Sharma, had submitted before the court that their client’s conduct has always been good while in prison and the same has been appreciated by the jail superintendents concerned. “In view of the aforesaid, the petitioner (Sharma) is granted parole for a period of 15 days on the condition that he shall take his second year examination for the course in question,” the court said.