Panaji: The high court has set aside the sentence review board’s decision rejecting the premature release of Ryan Pinto and directed the board to consider his case afresh. Pinto, along with three other law students, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mandar Surlakar in 2006.
Last month, the HC set aside the decision of the sentence review board to reject the premature release of Shankar Tiwari, another convict in the case. The court directed the board to reconsider his case for premature release afresh, immediately at its next meeting.
As for Pinto, the division bench of the HC, comprising justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta, observed that the sentence review board was under pressure from the father of the victim, who made representations to various govt authorities objecting to the premature release of the convicts.
“The board failed to take into consideration the recommendation of the superintendent of jail, which shows his reformed behaviour, as well as the report of the IPHB,” the HC said. It also held that the board did not have discussions regarding the observations made in the children’s court judgment when dealing with the plea for capital punishment.
The children’s court at the time stated that though Pinto was present when the murder was committed, he did not take any active part and was talking with another accused in the other room. No doubt he didn’t stop the murder, but there was no aggravating circumstance as far as he was concerned to award capital punishment, it had observed.
Pinto submitted to the HC that he has completed over 18 years and six months of imprisonment, including remission, and during his incarceration obtained a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and an MA in sociology.
He also said he completed a short-term course in computer trade, and an advanced computer applications course of six months. He added that he participated in the Aspiring Entrepreneurs Workshop organised by the Entrepreneurship Development Organisation by I-Create Goa (GCCI), and underwent a bakery course. As an under-trial prisoner, he engaged in creative activities and worked in the carpentry section, the convict warden section, the garden section, and as a librarian, he submitted. He said that he actively participated in measures which would reform him.
Last month, the HC set aside the decision of the sentence review board to reject the premature release of Shankar Tiwari, another convict in the case. The court directed the board to reconsider his case for premature release afresh, immediately at its next meeting.
As for Pinto, the division bench of the HC, comprising justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta, observed that the sentence review board was under pressure from the father of the victim, who made representations to various govt authorities objecting to the premature release of the convicts.
“The board failed to take into consideration the recommendation of the superintendent of jail, which shows his reformed behaviour, as well as the report of the IPHB,” the HC said. It also held that the board did not have discussions regarding the observations made in the children’s court judgment when dealing with the plea for capital punishment.
The children’s court at the time stated that though Pinto was present when the murder was committed, he did not take any active part and was talking with another accused in the other room. No doubt he didn’t stop the murder, but there was no aggravating circumstance as far as he was concerned to award capital punishment, it had observed.
Pinto submitted to the HC that he has completed over 18 years and six months of imprisonment, including remission, and during his incarceration obtained a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and an MA in sociology.
He also said he completed a short-term course in computer trade, and an advanced computer applications course of six months. He added that he participated in the Aspiring Entrepreneurs Workshop organised by the Entrepreneurship Development Organisation by I-Create Goa (GCCI), and underwent a bakery course. As an under-trial prisoner, he engaged in creative activities and worked in the carpentry section, the convict warden section, the garden section, and as a librarian, he submitted. He said that he actively participated in measures which would reform him.
You may also like
'No change in J&K policy, issue a bilateral matter between India & Pakistan': MEA
AI expert warns these jobs could disappear in just 2 years: Is your role at risk?
Atomic Kitten's Liz McClarnon, 44, pregnant after decades-long fertility struggle
From fighter pilots to face of Gaganyan: Astronaut designates for India's maiden human spaceflight
After 6 days, life returns to normal in Srinagar and other places
