Hanja Devi v. State of Rajasthan, Through Collector, Nagaur
2023-01-16
ASHOK KUMAR JAIN, PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI
body2023
DigiLaw.ai
ORDER 1. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner’s son-Mehraram @ Rajesh, who is undergoing sentence in District Jail, Nagaur, is entitled for parole as he has already served the sentence of about 08 years 07 months 08 days as on 01.12.2022 with remission for the offence punishable under Section 302 IPC. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner has referred to the judgment rendered by the Division Bench of this Hon’ble Court passed in the case of Nema Ram Vs. State of Rajasthan & Ors. (D.B. Criminal Writ Petition No.59/2021) decided on 15.03.2021, the relevant portion of which, reads as follows:- "Manifestly, as death sentence is not one of the penalties provided by law for the offence under Section 376(2)(g) IPC for which, the convict-petitioner has been convicted, he does not suffer from statutory ineligibility for claiming permanent parole. Thus, the impugned recommendations dated 11.01.2021 are quashed and set aside. The State Government shall reconsider the case of the convict-petitioner for grant of permanent parole objectively and decide the same by a reasoned order within a period of two months from today. The writ petition is allowed in these terms." 3. Mr. Pallav Sharma assistant to GA-cum-AAG for the respondent-State, however, drew the attention of this Court towards the proviso to Rule 10 of the Rajasthan Prisoners Release on Parole Rules, 2021, which reads as under:- "10. Parole Period.- A prisoner, who has completed with remission, if any, one-fourth of his sentence and subject to good conduct in the Jail, may be released on first parole for twenty days including days of journey to home and back and for thirty days on second parole if his behaviour has been good during the first parole and for fourty days on third parole if his behaviour has been good during the second parole. If during the third parole also the prisoner has behaved well and his character has been exceedingly well and if the prisoner’s conduct has been such that he is not likely to relapse into crime, his case may be recommended to the Government through the State Committee for permanent release on parole if he has served two third of sentence including remission on such conditions as deemed fit by the State Committee.
The State Government may, on recommendation of the State Committee, grant parole on such conditions as deemed necessary by it among them the main condition being that if the prisoner while on parole commits any offence or abets, directly or indirectly, commission of any offence, he has to undergo the unexpired portion of the sentence in addition to any sentence imposed upon him for such an offence. In case the permanent release on parole is rejected, the prisoner shall be eligible for release on parole for fourty days every year on the same conditions for the remaining period of his sentence: Provided that the cases of prisoners who have been sentenced to imprisonment for life, for an offence for which death penalty is one of the punishments provided by law or who have been sentenced to death but this sentence has been commuted under section 433 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 into one of life imprisonment shall not be placed before the State Committee for permanent release on parole unless he has served fourteen years of imprisonment excluding remission, but including the period of detention during enquiry, investigation or trial. Such prisoners may be released on parole for fourty days every year for the remaining period of their sentence subject to the conditions as stated above. Provided further that if a prisoner has not applied any regular periodic parole or not availed any regular parole for any reason shall not be disqualified for permanent parole. Provided further that if a prisoner has not applied any regular periodic parole or not availed any regular parole for any reason shall not be disqualified for permanent parole." 4. In light of the aforesaid position of law, this Court is of the opinion that neither as per the order of Division Bench of this Hon’ble Court nor as per the Rule, the petitioner’ son is entitled for grant of parole, because even in the rule, there is an exclusion of the offence, where death sentence is one of the penalties, manifestly laid down by the law. In view of the above, the present petition is dismissed. All pending applications stand disposed of. 5. However, in case, in future, the petitioner’s son becomes entitle for grant of parole, as per the Rules, he shall be at liberty to move the fresh application.