HC seeks AAP govt reply on Ajay Chautala's parole plea

The Delhi High Court today sought response of the AAP government on a plea of INLD leader Ajay Chautala, serving a 10-year jail term in a teachers' recruitment scam case, seeking two months parole to allow him "return to the mainstream".
Justice A K Pathak also issued notice to the authorities concerned on the plea which also challenged Delhi government's June 24 order rejecting the leader's plea for parole on the ground that the convict was on interim bail from August 13, 2013 to March 3, 2015.
The court has now listed the matter for August 26 and sought nominal role of the convict from the jail authority.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Amit Sahni, who were representing the INLD leader, said the Delhi government's 2010 guidelines were framed to achieve the objectives of parole, to enhance continuity with family members, to maintain a minimum level of self worth and confidence, for a positive attitude and interest in life and to protect social ties.
"While rejecting the case of petitioner (Chautala), the said guidelines have been completely overlooked... Rather keeping in view the facts of the case, deteriorating health condition of the convict, his case deserved to be considered sympathetically and in a more compassionate manner," it said.

The counsel argued that law was well settled that grant of parole to a convict is an integral part of correctional process.

"It is a kind of consideration granted to the prisoners to help them to come back into the mainstream of life. It is nothing but an instrument of social rehabilitation of the prisoner. Still further it is equally settled that the release on parole is expected to provide opportunity to the prisoner to transform himself into a useful citizen," the plea said.
Senior Standing Cousel Rahul Mehra, appearing for Delhi government, opposed the plea saying it was a "luxurious petition" by the convict.

The Supreme Court on August 3 last year had dismissed the appeals of Ajay and his father O P Chautala challenging the high court's verdict upholding their conviction and sentence of 10 years awarded by a trial court in the junior basic trained (JBT) teachers recruitment scam case.
The high court had on March 5, 2015, upheld the 10-year jail term awarded to Chautalas and three others, saying, "the overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country."
The father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were among 55 persons convicted on January 16, 2013 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 JBT teachers in Haryana in 2000.