Mumbai: Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced that rape and murder convicts, dacoits and kidnappers will no longer be granted ‘regular’ parole. Jail manuals will be updated with new rules.
The decision was taken after a man serving life term for rape and murder of lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha went missing earlier this year.
Sajjad Mogul, who was serving a life term for the 2012 murder case, went missing while on parole after leaving the Nasik jail in March to visit his unwell mother.
An enquiry was ordered on why he was granted parole and a top jail official was also suspended. Despite efforts by the Maharashtra police, Mogul has not been traced yet.
The changes were sent for notification after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave his nod to the proposal.
However, according to reports, the convicts will be eligible for ‘emergency’ parole, which will be granted for a maximum of seven days and will not be extended under any circumstances.
Emergency parole will be granted only under three circumstances – death of father, mother, spouse, son, daughter, brother or sister; serious illness of father, mother, spouse, son or daughter; and marriage of son, daughter, brother or sister.
The surety amount has also been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000.
25-year-old Mumbai-based lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha was murdered in August 2012 when she was alone at the flat after he made advances at her, which she resisted.
Pallavi's fiance Avik Sengupta, who lived with her at an apartment at Wadala, had found her body lying in blood. Mogul, who belonged to Jammu and Kashmir, was employed as a watchman in the building.
