KANCHI Vs. STATE OF WEST BENGAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners were convicted and sentenced, respectively on June 28 and June 29, 2010, for the commission of gang-rape under Sec. 376(g) of the Indian Penal Code. Since prior to that, the petitioners have been in incarceration.

(2.) After spending about two decades in jail, the petitioners applied for premature release. On September 2, 2022, a meeting was held by the State Sentence Review Board (SSRB), West Bengal, where the petitioners were not recommended for premature release. This Court, vide order dated January 10, 2023 passed in WPA No. 28437 of 2022, set aside the recommendation of the SSRB, which was followed by a special meeting of the SSRB for reconsideration of the issue of premature release and again rejected the petitioners' plea for premature release on February 17, 2023.

(3.) Another writ petition bearing WPA No. 20731 of 2023 preferred against the said rejection was disposed of on October 11, 2023 directing a further reconsideration.