Manu got parole despite Delhi police objection

NEW DELHI: Model Jessica Lall���s killer, Siddharth Vashisht alias Manu Sharma (32), was granted parole by the Delhi government despite Delhi Police���s clear refusal of the plea because it found that none of the reasons cited by Manu Sharma in his application for three months��� parole were valid.

The Delhi Police, on the request of Delhi government���s home department, had conducted an inquiry into Manu���s affairs in September . The police���s opinion was sought on three grounds: One, Manu had to attend religious rites of his departed grandmother, two, he had to take care of his ageing mother, and three, as the largest shareholder of Picaddily Industries , he was required to take care of the family���s business interest.

Said a police officer on the condition of anonymity: ���We carried out an inquiry and learnt that his grandmother had passed away in April 2008 and there was no immediate reason for him to attend any rituals in September. They cited Manu���s mother���s illness, saying that she was suffering from hypertension and arthritis, but we did not find any doctor���s report to that effect, nor was there any proof of ageing.���

Added the officer: ���His business was also not found to be suffering badly in his absence. In any case, granting parole on these grounds was out of the question. So, we strongly objected to Manu���s parole plea. We wrote to the home department saying so in third week of September.���

The Delhi government disregarded the Delhi Police���s negative report and went by a report presented by the Chandigarh police which cleared the request despite the grounds being the same. It���s not clear why the Delhi government decided seek the opinion of a police force over which Manu���s father, a powerful Chandigarhbased Congress politician, would conceivably have some influence. The whole process also happened with great speed.