Convict gets one-day parole to tie the knot

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 29

Convicted in 14 cases and acquitted in 28, Vijay will part ways with his prison life to tie the knot in custody and return to the confines of jail, all in a day.

“Seasoned criminal”, Vijay of Bhiwani had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking grant of emergency parole for six weeks to solemnise third marriage.

Taking up his plea, a vacation Bench of the High Court, on the previous date of hearing, had directed the state counsel to verify the factum of his marriage.

As the case came up for resumed hearing before Justice Gurvinder Singh Gill’s Bench, the state counsel confirmed that the petitioner’s marriage was fixed for June 30, but added that there was apprehension of breach of peace in the village.

The state counsel pointed out that the petitioner, on an earlier occasion, had absconded while on parole. The Bench was also told about the pendency of a case registered on March 25 at the Dadri City police station under the Arms Act when the petitioner was out on parole.

Taking note of the assertions, Justice Gill asserted that the submissions indicated that the petitioner was a seasoned criminal and had earlier committed offences even while on parole. As such, the court did not find sufficient grounds to grant six-week parole to the petitioner.

Since the state had verified the fact of marriage on June 30, the petition was accepted to the limited extent of taking the petitioner out in custody for a day to enable him to solemnise his marriage, Justice Gill added.

“After solemnisation of marriage, the petitioner shall be back in jail the same day itself. The expenditure for the entire exercise shall be borne out by the petitioner,” Justice Gill concluded.

The High Court had allowed conjugal visits and artificial insemination for jail inmates subject to certain conditions.

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