'Sikh prisoners in jail for 3 decades', Manish Tewari seeks debate on remission policy
Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 Aug, 2022 10:54 AM
New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) A day after convicts in the infamous Bilkis Bano case were released, Congress leader Manish Tewari on Tuesday took up the case of Sikh prisoners languishing in jails and called for a uniformity in the definition of remission policy.
"There must be uniformity across the country about definition of life imprisonment & remissions permissible".
"While some convicts walk free after 15 years others languish in jail for 30 years or more?Classical case- Sikh Prisoners in jail for 03 decades," he said in a tweet.
All 11 life imprisonment convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case and murder of seven members of her family on Monday walked out of Godhra sub-jail after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy.
A special CBI court in Mumbai had sentenced the 11 accused to life imprisonment on the charge of gang-rape and murder of seven members of Bilkis Bano's family on January 21, 2008. The Bombay High Court had later upheld their conviction.
According to reports, the convicts had served more than 15 years in jail and one of them had approached the Supreme Court with a plea for premature release.
The apex court had directed the Gujarat government to look into the issue of remission of his sentence following which the government formed a committee.
Moosewala, 29, was brutally murdered on May 29 by assailants who fired multiple rounds at him near his native village in Punjab's Mansa district. He was rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.
The gangster had moved the high court after a NIA court of Patiala House Court junked his plea on Monday. In the plea, he sought a direction to the Delhi Police and the Tihar Jail authorities to ensure all necessary security arrangements for him.
The decision taken by the government will at least save Rs 35 crore annually, which was incurred on printing of stamp papers, besides facilitating the public to obtain stamp papers in a hassle-free manner.
He was found soaked in blood on the driving seat of the Mahindra Thar SUV. There were two more occupants in the car -- Sidhu's friends, Gurwinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh.
As per the information, Shubhdeep Singh, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, who left his house around 4.30 p.m. on Sunday along with two persons -- Gurwinder Singh (neighbour) and Gurpreet Singh (cousin), was shot dead by some unidentified persons.
The gallantry awards were given to the personnel of the armed forces, central armed police forces and state/Union Territory police forces for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage, and extreme devotion to duty.
