New Delhi:
Manu Sharma, currently serving a life sentence for murdering model Jessica Lall, will leave jail for five days later this month. The Delhi High court has granted him permission to attend his brother's wedding. It warned him not to repeat an earlier performance where he was seen at a Delhi nightclub while on parole.
Mr Sharma's lawyers pleaded in court today that in granting parole, only the past one year's conduct should be considered.
Mr Sharma can leave jail from November 21 to 25. He had asked for parole for 10 days from November 10, but the judge had observed at an earlier hearing, "He need not attend all (wedding functions)." Mr Sharma has been asked to pay a personal bond of Rs 50,000; he has also been told not to travel outside of Delhi, Karnal and Ambala.
Mr Sharma's father, Vinod, has been a powerful Congressman.
In 2009, he was granted parole for a month, and that was later extended by another 30 days. During this period, Mr Sharma was found at a Delhi nightclub, which led to a huge controversy for him and an embarrassment for the Delhi government which had not objected to his parole. Mr Sharma had claimed that he was needed at home to tend to his sick mother, and to help manage his father's business.
Today, the judge warned him not to visit any nightclub during his break at home.
Mr Sharma has been convicted in multiple courts for shooting Ms Lall at a bar in Delhi in 1999 when she refused to serve him a drink.