Ex-Haryana CM O.P. Chautala moves Delhi HC seeking release on age basis

Former Haryana Chief Minister O.P. Chautala on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court for his release from Tihar Jail under the special remission granted to males above 60 years. Chautala's plea will be heard on Wednesday.

Chautala's counsel Amit Sahni told the court on July 18 2018, the central government asked the state governments and Union Territories to grant benefit of special remission to males above 60 years, females and trans-gender above 55 years and to release them if they have undergone half of actual sentence. The notification also said physically disable convicts, with above 70 per cent disability, will also be released after half of the actual sentence.

"Chautala was convicted for 10 years under the Indian Penal Code and 7 years under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He has already undergone the sentence awarded under the Prevention of Corruption Act," Sahni said. "Chautala has permanent disability of 60 per cent (as on April 2013) and later has undergone implantation of pacemaker in June 2013. The disability is progressive and at present it is more than 70 per cent and he falls in two clauses of the said notification."

Chautala's age is 83, which itself is sufficient to consider releasing him by giving benefit of the notification, he added. Chautala and his elder son Ajay were convicted in the JBT (junior basic teacher) recruitment scam in January 2013. Both were sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies.)