The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a response from the AAP government on a plea of INLD leader Ajay Chautala, who is serving a 10-year jail term in a teachers’ recruitment scam case, seeking two months parole to allow him to “return to the mainstream”.
Justice A. K. Pathak also issued notice to the authorities concerned on the plea that challenges the Delhi government’s order of June 24 rejecting the leader’s plea for parole on the ground that the convict was on interim bail from August 13, 2013, to March 3, 2015.
Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Amit Sahni, who were representing the INLD leader, said the Delhi government’s guidelines of 2010 were framed to achieve the objectives of parole, to enhance continuity with family members, to maintain a minimum level of self worth and confidence, for a positive attitude and interest in life, and to protect social ties.
Guidelines overlooked
“While rejecting the case of the petitioner (Chautala), the said guidelines have been completely overlooked... Rather keeping in view the facts of the case, deteriorating health condition of the convict, his case deserved to be considered sympathetically and in a more compassionate manner,” the petition said.
The counsel argued that the law was well-settled that grant of parole to a convict is an integral part of the correctional process.
Senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra, who was appearing for the Delhi government, opposed the plea saying it was a “luxurious petition” by the convict.
Last year on August 3, the Supreme Court had dismissed appeals of Ajay Chautala and his father O. P. Chautala challenging the high court’s verdict upholding their conviction. A sentence of 10 years had been awarded to them by a trial court in the junior basic trained (JBT) teachers’ recruitment scam.
Overwhelming evidence
The high court had on March 5, 2015, upheld the 10-year jail term awarded to the Chautalas and three others saying “the overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country”.
The father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were among the 55 persons convicted on January 16, 2013, by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 JBT teachers in Haryana in 2000.
