The Supreme Court on Wednesday berated a murder convict for moving the Apex Court again seeking an extension of three weeks to surrender before the jail authorities, even after the top court of the country rejected his plea over the same prayer last month.
The Bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice SVN Bhatti noted that a Coordinate Bench headed by Justice AS Oka had rejected convict Vinod alias Ganja’s plea seeking furlough extension on May 14.
The top court of the country remarked that the petitioner had guts to file the plea during vacations, when his earlier petition was rejected by a regular bench last month.
Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Rishi Malhotra submitted that he was seeking three more weeks to surrender, till the Delhi High Court decided his plea for premature release on July 10.
When the Bench said the convict had already moved the Apex Court earlier and his request was denied, Malhotra pointed out that the Justice Oka-led Bench granted the convict three weeks to surrender.
The Court, however, remained unconvinced. Malhotra then said that Vinod would surrender today itself.
The top court of the country then directed the convict to surrender before the jail authorities.
Noting that the present petition was unwarranted, absolutely uncalled for, and needed to be dealt with strictly, the Bench said it was taking serious note of the convict seeking extension of time to surrender again, and would pass an order on Thursday, after going through the facts and circumstances of the case.
Advocate-on-Record (AOR) Sweta Rani sought permission to withdraw the plea, which was rejected.
The convict had earlier approached the Delhi High Court seeking premature release as per the State policy. He contended that he has undergone more than 14 years of actual sentence and 16 years with remission.
The petitioner was granted furlough by the jail authorities on April 28.
On May 5, while issuing notice on the petition, the High Court recorded in its order that since the main petition was coming up for hearing on July 10, it did not find it appropriate at this stage to pass any order or direct the petitioner not to surrender on May 20, 2025 in FIR bearing No. 40/1992, registered at Police Station Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi for the offences punishable under Sections 302/307/34 of IPC and Section 27/30/54 of the Arms Act.
The petitioner then moved the Apex Court, which granted him three weeks to surrender on May 14. On May 27, the convict filed another application before the Apex Court seeking extension of furlough, which was turned down today.