Release convicts who have served full sentence: SC orders States, UTs

STC NEWS MONITORING DESK
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 12 (STC): The Supreme Court on Tuesday has directed all states and Union territories to identify and immediately release any convicts who remain imprisoned despite having completed their sentences.
The court while hearing a plea by convict Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan in the Nitish Katara murder case, ordered that if such convicts are still in custody and are not wanted in any other cases, they must be freed without delay, reports a cross section of media.
The directive, issued to the home secretaries of all states and UTs, requires the immediate release of these persons. A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and KV Viswanathan passed the order while granting the release of Sukhdev Pehalwan, who has served his full term without remission. Additionally, the Supreme Court instructed that the order be forwarded to the Member Secretary of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to ensure it is communicated to District Legal Services Authorities nationwide, reads the report.
Earlier, in June, the court had granted a three-month furlough to Sukhdev Pehalwan, noting his 20 years of uninterrupted incarceration without remission. Pehalwan’s plea challenged a November 2024 Delhi High Court order that rejected his furlough request.

(Straight Talk Communications)