HC extends life convict's parole for marriage

A life convict's plea seeking extension of parole for a week to solemnise his marriage was today allowed by the Delhi High Court.
The court, however, imposed certain conditions on him and directed him to surrender before the Jail Superintendent on the expiry of the period.
Allowing the plea of Rajender, alias Lala (41) who was convicted in a murder case, Justice Hima Kohli said "having regard to the submission and upon pursuing his nominal role, it is deemed appropriate to grant parole to the petitioner for a period of one week for him to solemnise his marriage."
Directing Lala, a resident of Model Town area, to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with a surety of like amount to the satisfaction of the trial court, the court said "petitioner shall report to the local police station on one day during the period of parole and he shall not leave the national capital territory of Delhi".

The court also asked him to furnish the residential address and telephone number to the Jail Superintendent on which he can be contacted.
The court considered Lala's counsel Arpit Batra's submission that the petitioner has already spent more than nine years in jail and his jail record is satisfactory.

Lala was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a city court in 1997 in a murder case.
This court had in October granted him a month's parole. Before the expiry of the month, Lala had moved an application seeking extension of his parole.
In his plea, Lala claimed he knew a woman for the past several years in his locality who is also ready to marry him despite the fact that he is a life convict.

The court summoned the woman and obtained her consent and allowed Lala's plea.