‘Orders given based on prison policies’: UP Prisons Minister on premature release of murder convicts

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 25 (ANI): The release of prisoners are based on prison policies and on the conduct of inmates, said Uttar Pradesh Prisons and Home Guard Minister Dharamveer Prajapati after the Supreme Court issued a notice on plea filed against premature release of poetess Madhumita Shukla murder convicts.

“The release of prisoners from jail is based on prison policies and on the conduct of the prison inmates. Only after directions from the Governor and CM, the orders for the release of a prisoner are given,” Minister Prajapati said

He further said, “I cannot point a finger at the discretion of the Governor. The governor reads our files carefully and takes decisions on it judiciously and the same decision is valid for us, after studying them, his team studies and only after that the decision is taken.”

Ajay Rai, Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief, spoke to ANI questioning the release of the convicts in the Madhumita murder case.

“…Those involved in heinous crime should not be released. This will send a wrong message to the society…I condemn this move…The party that raises slogans of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ is releasing people involved in crime against women…Strict action should be taken against the culprits so that such incidents do not happen in the future…”, he said.

Sunil Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader, speaking to ANI, said, “The BJP’s agenda is to shield the culprits involved in abuse against women. Wherever there is injustice to women, the BJP will be standing with the culprits”.

The Supreme Court earlier today issued notices on the plea filed by poetess Madhumita Shukla’s sister, Nidhi Shukla, against the premature release of the convicts in the former’s murder case.

However, it did not pass any order against the order directing the convicts’ release.

Madhumita Shukla’s sister Nidhi Shukla, today, moved to the Supreme Court appealing against the premature release of convicts.

The Uttar Pradesh Prisons Administration department had issued an order to release former minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani Tripathi with the permission of the Governor, the Prison Administration and Reforms Department.

Currently, the couple are lodged in Gorakhpur Jail and will be released from jail on presenting a bond.

Poetess Madhumita was shot dead on May 9, 2003, in Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow. The case was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Special Judge/Sessions Judge of Dehradun had sentenced Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani Tripathi to life imprisonment for Madhumita’s murder.