Jessica Lal murder case: Convict Manu Sharma's wife approaches NHRC for his early release

The wife of Manu Sharma, a convict in Jessica Lal murder case, on Wednesday approached the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) for his release, alleging human rights violation.

Manu's wife Preity Sharma through her advocate Amit Sahni approached the NHRC, alleging the gross violation of her husband's human rights.

She has claimed that her husband had been illegally detained for more than the prescribed period of incarceration (20 years with remission) as per the prevalent policy of the state.

"The policy clearly reads that cases falling in Clause 3.1 of the SRB order such as her husband's case should not be detained for more than 20 years with remission and having fulfilled all the parameters as laid down in the state policy of the government and as per recommendations of the NHRC guidelines," she has stated in her plea.

Manu Sharma, originally Siddharth Vashisht, is serving life term for murdering model Jessica Lal in 1999.

His detention beyond the maximum prescribed period in a whimsical and arbitrary manner tantamount to illegal and unlawful detention and is violative of his basic human rights as enriched in Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, she further said.

Preity submitted that Delhi's Sentence Review Board (SRB) rejected Sharma's plea for premature release for "extraneous reasons on four occasions" even as he fulfills all factors which are to be considered to make a decision.

She said that the board extended benefit of "premature release to convicts who were involved in much more serious offences and who did not even fulfill the prescribed parameters" and alleged "malpractice and violation" of law in the decision making which, she said, was in complete "violation of constitutional rights and human rights of my husband."

Advocate Sahni urged the NHRC to protect the human rights of Manu Sharma by passing appropriate directions to "uphold the law and stop the blatant violation of his human rights being done without having sufficient cause."

In January, the Delhi High Court disposed of Sharma's plea seeking premature release from the prison.

Jessica's sister Sabrina Lall had written a letter to Tihar Jail for Sharma's early release, saying that she had no objection to his release.

Jessica was shot by Manu when she refused to serve liquor to him at Tamarind Court restaurant, owned by socialite and designer Bina Ram at Qutub Colonnade in south Delhi's Mehrauli on April 29, 1999.

Manu Sharma is the son of former Congress leader Venod Sharma.

( With inputs from ANI )