High Court grants parole to murder convict for marriage to lover.
The Karnataka High Court has granted emergency parole to a murder convict named Anand (Prisoner No. 11699) for 15 days, so that he can marry his long-time lover. The court order was issued by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, who directed the prison authorities to release the convict from the forenoon of April 5, 2023, till the evening of April 20, 2023. However, the court has also imposed strict conditions on the release of the convict, requiring him to return to the prison and not commit any other offence during the parole period.
The case was brought to the High Court by the mother and lover of the convict, who filed a plea for his release on parole for a period of 15 days. Anand was serving a sentence for offences punishable under Sections 302, 201 r/w. Section 34 of the IPC and was sentenced to life imprisonment, which was modified to 10 years of imprisonment. The convict had been in judicial custody for the past six years, and his lover claimed to have been in love with him for the past nine years.
The High Court referred to the case of Cecilia Fernandes v. Inspector General Panaji, where the Bombay High Court had granted emergency parole to a detenu on account of his marriage. The High Court noted that it is appropriate to allow the plea owing to the peculiar facts of the case in the interest of justice.
The court ordered the prison authorities to stipulate strict conditions to ensure the safe return of the convict to the prison after the parole period. Advocate Raghavendra Gowda K. appeared on behalf of the petitioners, while AGA Vinod Kumar M. appeared on behalf of the respondents.
The Court allowed the plea and granted parole to the convict, enabling him to marry his lover.
Rathnamma & Anr. v. The State of Karnataka & Ors.
