New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) The Sentence Review Board (SRB) of Delhi has again rejected the premature release of 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, officials said on Tuesday.
The SRB in its meeting held last December, however, recommended premature release of self-styled NSCN (M) ‘lieutenant’ Hopeson Nignshen, convicted in connection with the abduction and killing of three Manipur government officials in the state’s Ukhrul district in February 2009, they said.
The SRB recommended premature release of Ningshen, subject to concurrence of the Central government, they said.
Bhullar was convicted in connection with the killing of nine people and injuring of 31 in the blast in 1993. Among those who survived the attack is former Youth Congress chief M S Bitta.
Bhullar was awarded death penalty by a designated TADA court in August 2001 but his capital punishment was commuted to life sentence in 2014.
He was shifted to Amritsar Central Jail from Delhi’s Tihar Jail on health grounds, in June 2015.
In 2022, his premature release case was deferred by the SRB, despite his “poor health condition” and “vegetative state”, officials said. Later, his premature release was declined by the SRB in its meeting in 2024.
The Centre had in September 2019 recommended special remission to eight Sikh prisoners, including Bhullar, to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
However, his release was objected by some members of the SRB based on the fact that his action as a terrorist claimed innocent lives, and that sending him out at a time when voices in favour of Khalistan were trying to resurrect abroad as well as in Punjab, would embolden them further, the sources said.
The SRB in its meeting, considered the case of 51 convicts for premature release. The Board rejected release of 24 convicts, including Bhullar, showed an official document.
An order issued by Home department of Delhi government last week, stated that Delhi’s Lt Governor has remitted un-expired term of sentence of 26 life term convicts on the recommendation of the SRB.
The released convicts included a Nigerian national Kenneth Chidi Onyeaghala. He was convicted with life sentence in connection with murder and robbery in Delhi, in 2022.
The order said that Onyeaghala would be deported to his native country immediately after his release. PTI VIT ZMN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.