On Monday, November 11, the Supreme Court issued a strong warning to the Sentence Review Board (SRB) of the Union Territory of Puducherry for failing to consider the remission plea of a convict, Karuna alias Manoharan, despite prior court orders.
A bench of Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih instructed the Inspector General of Prisons, who serves as the Board’s member-secretary, to submit an affidavit explaining the SRB’s conduct. The Court made it clear that if necessary, it would summon the Home Minister, who chairs the Board, along with other Board members, for their apparent disregard of its orders.
Justice Oka, expressing strong displeasure, remarked, “We will issue contempt notice to him (Home Minister). We will issue contempt notice to all the members of the sentence review board. We will bring the Home Minister here. If order of this court is to be taken so lightly and so casually, we will bring the Home Minister here.”
This case revolves around Karuna alias Manoharan’s plea for remission after serving over 24 years of a life sentence for a murder conviction. The petitioner had been convicted alongside co-accused Satish, who was granted remission by the Supreme Court in January 2024, overruling the SRB’s previous denial of his premature release. Following the January order, the Supreme Court directed the SRB on August 27, 2024, to review Karuna’s remission plea in light of the relief provided to his co-accused.
Examining the SRB’s recent meeting minutes, the Court found that the Board failed to comply with the Court’s order to reconsider Karuna’s case. Notably, the minutes contained no reference to the January 25 order. “The direction of this court was to reconsider the case of the present petitioner in the light of the order dated 25th of January 2024 passed by this court in the case of the co-accused. Unfortunately, we find from the minutes that there is no consideration in terms of the order dated January 25, 2024,” the bench observed in its order.
In light of the SRB’s non-compliance and the petitioner’s prolonged detention, the Court granted interim bail to Karuna, ordering his presentation before the trial court, which will release him temporarily after hearing the state public prosecutors on the conditions for bail.
The Court also stated, “Prima facie, Sentence Review Board has committed violation of direction issued by this court on 27/08/2024 for which sentence review board owes an explanation. We direct the Inspector General Prisons who is the Member Secretary of the Sentence Review Board to file an affidavit explaining the conduct.”
The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing for January 10, 2025, directing the Inspector General of Prisons to submit the affidavit by January 6, 2025.
Case Details:
Case No.: W.P.(Crl.) No. 145/2024
Karuna @ Manoharan v. Union Territory of Puducherry and Ors.
Lawcutor 