Manu Sharma, who is presently undergoing a life term for killing model Jessica Lal in 1999, was on Thursday granted parole for a set period by Delhi High Court so that he could appear for his LLB first semester exams.

Justice Ashutosh Kumar extended the relief to Sharma from December 10 to 15 and then from December 20 to January 1 next year.

The court, however, directed Sharma to “keep away from the houses of the witnesses and the deceased’ family members” related to the Jessica Lal case.

The court also asked Sharma to furnish a bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the same amount.

The court said that Sharma shall not “display any unruly behaviour during the period he was out on parole”.

It also made it clear that while the convict is supposed to appear for his exam at Chandigarh between December 26 to 30, he will not move out of the state for any reason.

Sharma through senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog had sought a month’s parole to write his exams, which were to commence from December 26 till December 30. But before that he also has to appear for a Personal Contact Programme beginning from December 11.

The court said that Sharma should not make any excuse and shall surrender on December 15 before sunset.

Who’s Manu Sharma?

Son of the former Indian National Congress minister and Rajya Sabha member Venod Sharma, Manu was convicted of shooting and killing Jessica Lal , who was working as a bartender. after she refused to serve him alcohol.

Not his first parole

This isn’t the first time the Delhi High Court has granted parole to Sharma.

He was granted his first parole on 24 September 2009, for a period of 30 days since he said he had to look after his family business, care for his ailing mother and attend the last rites of his grandmother. However, it turned into a controversy after it emerged that his grandmother had already died in 2008.

Despite the revelations and objection s from the police , Sharma’s parole was extended for another 30 days during which he was seen attending parties in Delhi. His argument that he needed to attend to his ailing mother also fell apart after he was seen at a promotional event of a ladies cricket tournament in Chandigarh.

Following an outcry, Sharma returned to Tihar jail two weeks before his parole was to expire.

His second parole came in November 2011 when he said he wanted to attend the marriage of his younger brother. The 5-day parole was granted with strict restrictions on his movement . The parole also prevented him from visiting any night club.

In December 2013, Sharma was granted nine days parole in December 2013 to appear in examinations for a post-graduate degree in human rights. A 30-day parole was also granted to him in December 2014 for his master’s degree exams.

Feature image source: AFP/File Photo