HC seeks Delhi govt’s reply on Chautala’s parole

Delhi high court on Wednesday sought the city government’s response on a plea of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, serving 10-year jail term in a teachers’ recruitment scam case, seeking 60 days’ parole for medical treatment.

Justice Ashutosh Kumar issued notice to Delhi government and sought its reply to Chautala’s plea by January 4, the next date of hearing.

During the hearing, the government, however, opposed the plea. On August 3, Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala’s appeal against the high court verdict was dismissed by the Supreme Court, saying the order was a “reasoned one”.

The Apex Court had, however, said the convicts may move the high court with their pleas seeking relief like parole on health ground.

Chautala, his son and three others are serving 10-year jail term in the case. 82-year-old Chautala has sought parole for 60 days for getting treatment for his polio-affected legs.

The plea stated that on September 8, Chautala had moved an application for grant of parole to Tihar jail Superintendent on medical grounds.

“On October 20, the home department of Delhi government has informed that his plea for parole was dismissed, keeping in mind the 2010 parole guidelines, as per which there should be a gap of a minimum six months from the date of termination of last parole,” it stated.

The petition also said that INLD leader had last availed one-month parole in May this year, which was later extended.

The plea, which was filed through advocate Amit Sahni, has said the “petitioner is polio-affected since his birth and has permanent disability of 60 per cent. He was on bail during the trial and was released on parole, but he has never misused the same.”  

Since six months will expire on November 28, his plea be allowed taking a lenient view, the petition has said.