The premature release of Manu Sharma, the prime accused in the infamous Jessica Lal murder case, along with 18 others, has been approved by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. The prime accused Manu Sharma was imprisoned in the murder case of model Jessica Lal for 17 years.
On June 1, he was released from Delhis Tihar Jail after a recommendation was made by the Sentence Review Board. The following recommendation was approved by Delhi LG Anil Baijal. The Delhi Sentence Board on 11th May had recommended a premature release of Manu Sharma, who was serving life imprisonment in the 1999 killing. Sharmas premature release was recommended last month by the Delhi Sentence Review Board which comes under the Delhi government.
The said recommendation was made at a meeting of the SRB under the chairmanship of Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain. A statement by the Delhi government read- Over 1,000 people have been released on parole so far. Thirty-seven cases came up based on merit. Twenty-two-cases were fit for release based on the prescribed criteria.
Sharmas plea for premature release was placed for the sixth time before the Sentence Review Board which comes under the Delhi government. Manu Sharmas lawyer Amit Sahni stated, Manu Sharma fulfills all parameters as required for premature release. Son of former Union Minister Venod Sharma, Manu Sharma was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court in December 2006 for killing Jessica Lal in 1999.
Earlier a trial court had acquitted him, however when appealed in the high court, his appeal was heard and the order was reversed, however, the Supreme Court later upheld his life sentence in April 2010.
Jessica Lal was shot dead by Sharma after she had refused to serve him liquor at the Tamarind Court restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani at Qutub Colonnade in South Delhis Mehrauli area on the night of 30th April 1999.
