Himachal Pradesh High Court
( vs State Of Rajasthan And Others on 8 August, 2022
Bench: Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Chander Bhusan Barowalia
1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AT SHIMLA
ON THE 8th DAY OF AUGUST, 2022
BEFORE
.
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TARLOK SINGH CHAUHAN
&
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDER BHUSAN BAROWALIA
CIVIL WRIT PETITION NO. 539 of 2022
Between:
RAM PRASAD S/O SH.HARI SINGH,
RESIDENT OF VILLAGE KAFNALI, P.O.
DIANA, FATEHPUR, DISTRICT KANGRA,
H.P.
(PETITIONER IS A CONVICT SERVING A
TEN YEAR SENTENCE IN LALA LAJPAT
RAI DISTRICT & OPEN AIR
CORRECTIONAL HOME, DHARAMSHALA)
...PETITIONER
(BY MR. VIJENDER KATOCH, ADVOCATE)
AND
1. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
THROUGH ADDITIONAL CHIEF
SECRETARY (HOME) HP, GOVERNMENT
SECRETARIAT SHIMLA-171002.
::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS
2
2. ADDITIONAL DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
PRISONS AND CORRECTIONAL
SERVICES (HP)
3. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT
KANGRA COLLECTORATE,
DHARAMSHALA.
.
4. SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE (DISTRICT
KANGRA) AT SP OFFICE,
DHARAMSHALA.
5. SUPERINTENDENT OF JAILS, DISTRICT
PRISON DHARAMSHALA, TEHSIL
DHARAMSHALA & DISTRICT KANGRA,
(H.P.)
...RESPONDENTS
(BY MS. RITTA GOSWAMI, ADDITIONAL ADVOCATE
GENERAL, MR. Y.S. THAKUR, DY. A.G. AND MR. RAJAT
CHAUHAN, LAW OFFICER )
This Petition coming on for orders on this day, Hon'ble
Mr. Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, passed the
following:-
ORDER
The request made by the petitioner for releasing him on parole has been turned down by the respondents constraining him to file the instant petition for the grant of following relief:
"(I) That Honourable Court may be pleased to direct the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for grant of parole."::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 3 2. Respondents No. 1, 2 & 5, respondent No. 3
and respondent No.4 have filed separate replies, however the crux of the replies is that the prayer made by the .
petitioner for release on parole cannot be acceded to, as the family members as also the Panchayat have opposed his release.
3. The records go to reveal that the Panchayat has not on its own rejected the request, but has reiterated the objections raised by the complainant party, as is evident from the statement of Raj Lata, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Luthiyal, which reads as under:
"It is stated that I am the resident of above mentioned address and presently, the Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Luthiyal. Accused Ram Prasad s/o Hari Singh, village Kafnali, Post Office Diana, Tehsil and Police Station Fatehpur, District Kangra is undergoing imprisonment under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 5(K) of POCSO Act at District Jail Dharamshala.
The statement of Ram Krishan, (the complainant party) has been recorded, who has raised objection on the parole of Ram Prasad. The complainant has threat of life and wealth from Ram Prasad. Therefore, he may not release on parole.
My statement is according to what I said."::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 4
4. Now adverting to the objections raised by the complainant party, obviously the Court cannot expect the complainant to accede to the request of the petitioner, .
but the fact remains that the petitioner has been convicted under Section 5(K) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the victim by now is married and residing at a distance of more than 30 kms.
5. In such circumstances, the moot question is whether the request for grant of parole can be rejected either on the ground that the petitioner has been convicted for a serious and heinous offence or such request is otherwise being opposed by the complainant party.
6. It is more than settled that the grant of remission or parole is not a right vested with the prisoner. It is a privilege available to the prisoner on fulfilling certain conditions. This is a discretionary power which has to be exercised by the authorities conferred with such powers under the relevant rules/regulations. The Court cannot exercise these powers, though once the powers are ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 5 exercised, the Court may hold that the exercise of powers is not in accordance with rules.
7. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has considered in .
detail the nature, object, purpose and parameters for grant of parole subject to which parole can be granted in Asfaq versus State of Rajasthan and others, (2017) 15 SCC 55, wherein it was observed as under:
"14. Furlough, on the other hand, is a brief release from the prison. It is conditional and is given in case of long term imprisonment. The period of sentence spent on furlough by the prisoners need not be undergone by him as is done in the case of parole. Furlough is granted as a good conduct remission.
15. A convict, literally speaking, must remain in jail for the period of sentence or for rest of his life in case he is a life convict. It is in this context that his release from jail for a short period has to be considered as an opportunity afforded to him not only to solve his personal and family problems but also to maintain his links with society. Convicts too must breathe fresh air for at least some time provided they maintain good conduct consistently during incarceration and show a tendency to reform themselves and become good citizens. Thus, redemption and rehabilitation of such prisoners for good of societies must ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 6 receive due weightage while they are undergoing sentence of imprisonment.
16. This Court, through various pronouncements, has laid down the differences between parole and furlough, few of .
which are as under:
(i) Both parole and furlough are conditional release.
(ii) Parole can be granted in case of short term imprisonment whereas in furlough it is granted in case of long term imprisonment.
(iii) Duration of parole extends to one month whereas in the case of furlough it extends to fourteen days maximum.
(iv) Parole is granted by Divisional Commissioner and furlough is granted by the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons.
(v) For parole, specific reason is required, whereas furlough is meant for breaking the monotony of imprisonment.
(vi) The term of imprisonment is not included in the computation of the term of parole, whereas it is vice versa in furlough.
(vii) Parole can be granted number of times whereas there is limitation in the case of furlough.
(viii) Since furlough is not granted for any particular reason, it can be denied in the interest of the society.
{See State of Maharashtra and Another v. Suresh ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 7 Pandurang Darvakar (2006) 4 SCC 776; and State of Haryana and Others v. Mohinder Singh, (2000) 3 SCC 394.
17. From the aforesaid discussion, it follows that amongst the various grounds on which parole can be granted, the .
most important ground, which stands out, is that a prisoner should be allowed to maintain family and social ties. For this purpose, he has to come out for some time so that he is able to maintain his family and social contact. This reason finds justification in one of the objectives behind sentence and punishment, namely, reformation of the convict. The theory of criminology, which is largely accepted, underlines that the main objectives which a State intends to achieve by punishing the culprit are: deterrence, prevention, retribution and reformation. When we recognise reformation as one of the objectives, it provides justification for letting of even the life convicts for short periods, on parole, in order to afford opportunities to such convicts not only to solve their personal and family problems but also to maintain their links with the society. Another objective which this theory underlines is that even such convicts have right to breathe fresh air, albeit for periods. These gestures on the part of the State, along with other measures, go a long way for redemption and rehabilitation of such prisoners. They are ultimately aimed for the good of the society and, therefore, are in public interest.
18. The provisions of parole and furlough, thus, provide for a humanistic approach towards those lodged in jails. Main purpose of such provisions is to afford to them an ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 8 opportunity to solve their personal and family problems and to enable them to maintain their links with society. Even citizens of this country have a vested interest in preparing offenders for successful re-entry into society. Those who .
leave prison without strong networks of support, without employment prospects, without a fundamental knowledge of the communities to which they will return, and without resources, stand a significantly higher chance of failure. When offenders revert to criminal activity upon release, they frequently do so because they lack hope of merging into society as accepted citizens. Furloughs or parole can help prepare offenders for success.
19. Having noted the aforesaid public purpose in granting parole or furlough, ingrained in the reformation theory of sentencing, other competing public interest has also to be kept in mind while deciding as to whether in a particular case parole or furlough is to be granted or not. This public interest also demands that those who are habitual offenders and may have the tendency to commit the crime again after their release on parole or have the tendency to become threat to the law and order of the society, should not be released on parole. This aspect takes care of other objectives of sentencing, namely, deterrence and prevention. This side of the coin is the experience that great number of crimes are committed by the offenders who have been put back in the street after conviction. Therefore, while deciding as to whether a particular prisoner deserves to be released on parole or not, the aforesaid aspects have also to be kept in ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 9 mind. To put it tersely, the authorities are supposed to address the question as to whether the convict is such a person who has the tendency to commit such a crime or he is showing tendency to reform himself to become a good .
citizen.
20. Thus, not all people in prison are appropriate for grant of furlough or parole. Obviously, society must isolate those who show patterns of preying upon victims. Yet administrators ought to encourage those offenders who demonstrate a commitment to reconcile with society and whose behaviour shows that aspire to live as law-abiding citizens. Thus, parole program should be used as a tool to shape such adjustments.
21. To sum up, in introducing penal reforms, the State that runs the administration on behalf of the society and for the benefit of the society at large cannot be unmindful of safeguarding the legitimate rights of the citizens in regard to their security in the matters of life and liberty. It is for this reason that in introducing such reforms, the authorities cannot be oblivious of the obligation to the society to render it immune from those who are prone to criminal tendencies and have proved their susceptibility to indulge in criminal activities by being found guilty (by a Court) of having perpetrated a criminal act. One of the discernible purposes of imposing the penalty of imprisonment is to render the society immune from the criminal for a specified period. It is, therefore, understandable that while meting out humane ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 10 treatment to the convicts, care has to be taken to ensure that kindness to the convicts does not result in cruelty to the society. Naturally enough, the authorities would be anxious to ensure that the convict who is released on furlough does .
not seize the opportunity to commit another crime when he is at large for the time-being under the furlough leave granted to him by way of a measure of penal reform.
22. Another vital aspect that needs to be discussed is as to whether there can be any presumption that a person who is convicted of serious or heinous crime is to be, ipso facto, treated as a hardened criminal. Hardened criminal would be a person for whom it has become a habit or way of life and such a person would necessarily tend to commit crimes again and again. Obviously, if a person has committed a serious offence for which he is convicted, but at the same time it is also found that it is the only crime he has committed, he cannot be categorized as a hardened criminal. In his case consideration should be as to whether he is showing the signs to reform himself and become a good citizen or there are circumstances which would indicate that he has a tendency to commit the crime again or that he would be a threat to the society. Mere nature of the offence committed by him should not be a factor to deny the parole outrightly. Wherever a person convicted has suffered incarceration for a long time, he can be granted temporary parole, irrespective of the nature of offence for which he was sentenced. We may hasten to put a rider here, viz. in those cases where a person has been convicted for ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 11 committing a serious office, the competent authority, while examining such cases, can be well advised to have stricter standards in mind while judging their cases on the parameters of god conduct, habitual offender or while .
judging whether he could be considered highly dangerous or prejudicial to the public peace and tranquility etc.
23. There can be no cavil in saying that a society that believes in the worth of the individuals can have the quality of its belief judged, at least in part, by the quality of its prisons and services and recourse made available to the prisoners. Being in a civilized society organized with law and a system as such, it is essential to ensure for every citizen a reasonably dignified life. If a person commits any crime, it does not mean that by committing a crime, he ceases to be a human being and that he can be deprived of those aspects of life which constitute human dignity. For a prisoner all fundamental rights are an enforceable reality, though restricted by the fact of imprisonment. {See - Sunil Batra (II) v. State (UT of Delhi) (1980) 3 SCC 488 , Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) 1 SCC 248 and Charles Sobraj v.
Superintendent Central Jai, Tihar, New Delhi, (1978) 4 SCC
104.
24. It is also to be kept in mind that by the time an application for parole is moved by a prisoner, he would have spent some time in the jail. During this period, various reformatory methods must have been applied. We can take judicial note of this fact, having regard to such reformation ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 12 facilities available in modern jails. One would know by this time as to whether there is a habit of relapsing into crime in spite of having administered correctional treatment. This habit known as "recidivism" reflects the fact that the .
correctional therapy has not brought in the mind of the criminal. It also shows that criminal is hardcore who is beyond correctional therapy. If the correctional therapy has not made in itself, in a particular case, such a case can be rejected on the aforesaid ground i.e. on its merits."
8. It is evidently clear from the aforesaid judgment that the Hon'ble Supreme Court itself emphasized on the aspect of rehabilitation, continuity of life and constructive hopes for convicts and prisoners and for the reformation even while they are undergoing incarceration.
9. Judged in light of the aforesaid exposition of law, the only ground taken by the respondents to reject the request of parole is that the petitioner has been convicted for a serious and heinous offence and nothing more, cannot itself be a ground for denying the convict the parole in accordance with the provisions of H.P. Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1968.
::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 1310. As observed above, the District Magistrate as also the Superintendent of Police have not recommended the case of the petitioner for parole on the ground that he may .
cause danger to the family of the victim and may disturb the peace and tranquility of the area, if released on parole. Even otherwise, such questions have already been considered and answered in the judgment referred to here-in-above, which clearly provides that it is only cases where there is some material before the Court, parole should be extended by taking a humanistic approach so as to afford the convict an opportunity to solve his personal and family problems and enable him to maintain his links with the society.
11. This aspect of the matter has been considered in a very recent judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court in case titled as Shor Versus State of Uttar Pradesh and Anr., in Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 58 of 2020, decided on August 05, 2020, wherein the only ground for opposing release of the petitioner therein on probation was that he had been convicted for grave and serious offences and in case he is released, there would be a chance that he may repeat the ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 14 offences, which would send a negative message against the justice system in the society. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has also held as under:
.
"Pursuant to our order dated 30.10.2017, an order dated 22.01.2018 has been passed in which it is recorded that though the petitioner has undergone 28 years 08 months and 21 days without remission (otherwise including remission) having undergone imprisonment of 37 years 01 month and 18 days, yet premature release cannot be given in the facts of this case as the prisoner along with 20 co-accused committed the murder of 11 persons with deadly weapons and injured others.
This being the case, the order states "premature release of this kind of prisoner would send a negative message against the justice system in the society". It was then also mentioned that Senior Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate have confirmed that the prisoner is not incapacitated from committing crime. Section 2 of the United Provinces Prisoners Release on Probation Act, 1938 (" the U.P. Act" for short) states: "2. Power of Government to release by licence on conditions imposed by them. Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898), where a person is confined in prison under a sentence of imprisonment and it appears to the State Government from his antecedents and his conduct in the prison that he is likely to abstain from crime and lead a peaceable life, if he is released from prison, the State Government may by licence permit him to ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 15 be released on condition that he be placed under the supervision or authority of a Government Officer or of a person professing the same religion as the prisoner, or such secular institution or such society belonging to the same religion as the prisoner as may be recognized by the State Government for this purpose, .
provided such other person, institution or society is willing to take charge of him."
It is clear that under this Section what has to be seen by the State Government is (i) antecedents (ii) conduct in the prison and (iii) the person, if released, is likely to abstain from crime and lead a peaceable life. If having regard to these factors, the person is released, the State Government may do so on conditions stated in the Section.
A reading of the order dated 22.01.2018 shows that the Joint Secretary, Government of U.P. has failed to apply his mind to the conditions of Section 2 of the U.P. Act. Merely repeating the fact that the crime is heinous and that release of such a person would send a negative message against the justice system in the society are factors de hors Section 2. Conduct in prison has not been referred to at all and the Senior Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate confirming that the prisoner is not "incapacitated" from committing the crime is not tantamount to stating that he is likely to abstain from crime and lead a peaceable life if released from prison.
12. The issue in question is otherwise squarely covered by the judgment rendered by a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 16 CMP No. 3970 of 2020 in CWP No. 2931 of 2019, titled Mrs. Har Dei versus State of Himachal Pradesh & others, decided on 03.06.2020 and the judgment passed by this Bench in CWP .
No. 414 of 2020, titled Mrs. Kavita Thakur versus State of H.P. and others, decided on 25.06.2020, CWP No. 529 of 2018, titled Jagat Ram Versus State of Himachal Pradesh and others, decided on 26.06.2012 and CWP No. 663 of 2020, titled Sajid versus State of Himachal Pradesh and others, decided on 29.06.2020.
13. to Similar reiteration of law can also be found in the judgments rendered by Division Bench of this Court in CWP No. 1664 of 2020, titled as Paramjit Singh @ Pamma vs. State of H. P. & Ors., decided on 07.08.2020 and CWP No. 1497 of 2020, titled as Anil Kumar vs. State of H. P. & Ors., decided on 07.10.2020.
14. In addition to the aforesaid, it needs to be noticed that one of the co-accused Pushap Raj, whose case like the case of the petitioner, for grant of parole, has been allowed by a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court vide order dated 27.10.2021 passed in CWP ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 17 No. 5246 of 2021, titled 'Pushap Raj versus State of H.P. and others', wherein it was observed as under:-
"7. The very purpose of grant of parole is to give an .
opportunity to the convict to look after his family left behind and also to join the mainstream of the society. It is intended to ensure that eventually when he comes out of the jail, he joins the society as a reformed citizen. In order, however, to decide whether or not he should be granted the facility of parole, the conduct of the prisoner during his stay in jail is very much relevant. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has remained in jail for more than seven years and seven months. Merely because the family of the complainant has raised objections to the temporary release of the petitioner on parole, the case of the petitioner for grant of parole cannot be rejected.
8. The Supreme Court in case titled as Asfaq versus State of Rajasthan and others, reported in 2017 (15) SCC 55, while dealing with this aspect of the matter, has held that provisions of parole and furlough, provide for a humanistic approach towards those lodged in jails. Main purpose of such provisions is to afford to them an opportunity to solve their personal and family problems and to enable them to maintain their links with the society. The observations made by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in paras 18 & 22 of the aforesaid judgment are relevant to be extracted hereinbelow:-::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 18
"18). The provisions of parole and furlough, thus, provide for a humanistic approach towards those lodged in jails.
Main purpose of such provisions is to afford to them an opportunity to solve their personal and family problems and to enable them to maintain their links with society. Even citizens of this country have a vested interest in preparing offenders for successful re-entry into society.
.
Those who leave prison without strong networks of support, without employment prospects, without a fundamental knowledge of the communities to which they will return, and without resources, stand a significantly higher chance of failure. When offenders revert to criminal activity upon release, they frequently do so because they lack hope of merging into society as accepted citizens. Furloughs or parole can help prepare offenders for success."
22). Another vital aspect that needs to be discussed is as to whether there can be any presumption that a person who is convicted of serious or heinous crime is to be, ipso facto, treated as a hardened criminal. Hardened criminal would be a person for whom it has become a habit or way of life and such a person would necessarily tend to commit crimes again and again. Obviously, if a person has committed a serious offence for which he is convicted, but at the same time it is also found that it is the only crime he has committed, he cannot be categorised as a hardened criminal. In his case consideration should be as to whether he is showing the signs to reform himself and become a good citizen or there are circumstances which would indicate that he has a tendency to commit the crime again or that he would be a threat to the society. Mere nature of the offence committed by him should not be a factor to deny the parole out rightly. Wherever a person convicted has suffered incarceration for a long time, he can be granted temporary parole, irrespective of the nature of offence for which he was sentenced. We may hasten to put a rider here, viz. in those cases where a person has been convicted for committing a serious office, the competent authority, while examining such cases, can be well advised to have stricter standards in mind while judging their cases on the parameters of good conduct, habitual offender or while judging whether he could be considered highly dangerous or prejudicial to the public peace and tranquility etc."
::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 199. The principles laid down in the aforesaid judgment were reiterated by the Supreme Court in case titled as Mohammad Shamsuddin versus State of Rajasthan & others, reported in (2019) 14, SCC 333. It is relevant to extract .
para-3 of the judgment herein below:-
3. We may at this stage quote the observations of this Court in para 17 of its judgment in Asfaq v. State of Rajasthan which are: (SCC p. 62) "77. From the aforesaid discussion, it follows that amongst the various grounds on which parole can be granted, the most important ground, which stands out, is that a prisoner should be allowed to maintain family and social ties. For this purpose, he has to come out for some time so that he is able to maintain his family and social contact. This reason finds justification in one of the objectives behind sentence and punishment, namely, reformation of the convict. The theory of criminology, which is largely accepted, underlines that the main objectives which a State intends to achieve by punishing the culprit are: deterrence, prevention, retribution and reformation. When we recognise reformation as one of the objectives, it provides justification for letting of even the life convicts for short periods, on parole, in order to afford opportunities to such convicts not only to solve their personal and family problems but also to maintain their links with the society. Another objective which this theory underlines is that even such convicts have right to breathe fresh air, albeit for (sic short) periods. These gestures on the part of the State, along with other measures,go a long way for redemption and rehabilitation of such prisoners. They are ultimately aimed for the good of the society and, therefore, are in public interest."
10. Even this Court in case titled as Bir Singh versus the State of Himachal Pradesh & others, reported in 1985 CRL.
L.J. 1458, in para 3 has observed that in the absence of an ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 20 opportunity to watch his conduct outside jail for the reason of his not having been released on parole/furlough is again not a factor which could be legitimately pressed into service on .
the facts and in the circumstances of the case. There is no reason to assume that if the petitioner is granted the benefit of premature release, he would once again display criminal tendency. Such an assumption overlooks not only that the petitioner is not shown to be a habitual offender but also the reformatory aspect of during the entire period of his imprisonment."r
15. In the given facts and circumstances of the case, we allow the present writ petition by setting aside the recommendations made by the District Magistrate, Kangra and Superintendent of Police, Kangra and extending the benefit of parole for a period of four weeks to the petitioner, however, on his furnishing personal bond in the sum of Rs. 1.00 lakh with two sureties in the sum of Rs. 15,000/- each, to the satisfaction of the Superintendent jail, Lala Lajpat Rai, District & Open Air Correction Home Dharamshala, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. The petitioner shall surrender before the aforesaid Superintendent ::: Downloaded on - 24/12/2022 09:37:37 :::CIS 21 immediately on expiry of four weeks of parole. However, before parting, it is made clear that the parole granted to the petitioner, shall be liable to be cancelled, in case the petitioner breaches any .
of the conditions of the parole order and/or creates law and order problems, which shall be treated as a negative factor for consideration of his similar prayers in the future.
16. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of, so also pending miscellaneous application(s), if any.
r to (Tarlok Singh Chauhan)
Judge
(Chander Bhusan Barowalia)
Judge
August 8, 2022
Kalpana
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