Every saint had a past and every sinner has a future: Karnataka High Court grants parole to murder convict

While granting parole to a murder convict, the Karnataka High Court recently called for a humanistic approach to be adopted for convicts, so that their roots in society do not dry up while they languish in jail (Suma v. State of Karnataka and Others)..The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit went on to note that the provisions of parole/furlough are structured on humanistic grounds for the reprieve of those lodged in jail for long periods of time."...the main purpose of releasing a serving convict on parole is to afford to him an opportunity to solve his personal & family problems and to enable him to maintain his links with the civil society," the Court observed..The Court was adjudicating a plea moved by the wife of a murder convict seeking parole for her husband for a period of two months in light of their daughter's marriage.The State vehemently opposed the plea, contending that parole and furlough are not a matter of right and since the man was convicted for the murder of three persons, he could not avail of parole..While noting that the petitioner had been in jail for more than two decades, the Court observed that though a person is put behind bars, the same does not render him or her destitute of all liberty and dignity."...one cannot forget that every saint had a past and every sinner has a future," the order stated..The Court noted that every Hindu marriage involves certain rituals such as Vivaah Homa, which requires the participation of the parents. Moreover, when a young daughter is getting married, the presence of her father is desirable, especially when the mother had died recently."The sublime feelings of the spouse & children permeate the prison walls and reach the convict, however strong & unkindly they are built; therefore, this court has to facilitate the presence & participation of the petitioner in the ensuing marriage ceremony; an otherwise stand of the court, runs the risk of being branded as inhuman by the right thinking section of the society, to say the least," it held..Lastly, the Court directed the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation and release him on parole from the forenoon of November 1 till the afternoon of November 15..Advocate Kemaparaju appeared for the petitioner. Additional Government Advocate Vinod Kumar appeared for the State..[Read order]