The Delhi High Court has ordered the Sentence Review Board (SRB) to reassess the plea of Hari Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1993 Indian Airlines hijacking.
Justice Sanjeev Narula’s bench set aside the SRB’s previous decision rejecting Singh’s early release request, stating that the dismissal lacked adequate reasoning.
The court emphasised that authorities must support administrative decisions with rational justification and noted that the SRB relied solely on the offence’s gravity without considering Singh’s conduct during incarceration.
Signs of Reform
In its observations, the court noted that Hari Singh’s behaviour in prison demonstrated clear signs of reform. It directed the SRB to review the case afresh and decide on the petition within eight weeks.
The court highlighted that decisions on early release must balance the seriousness of the crime with evidence of rehabilitation.
Singh’s counsel informed the court that as of May 12, he had served nearly 18 years of actual imprisonment and completed over 22 years, including remission.
The court further noted that there had been no reports of indiscipline against him during this period, indicating a lack of ongoing criminal intent.
Hari Singh, a truck driver at the time, resorted to hijacking out of frustration over communal violence across the country.
In 2001, a lower court convicted him under Section 4 of the 1982 Anti-Hijacking Act and Sections 353, 365, and 506 (II) of the IPC, sentencing him to life imprisonment.
His appeal to the Delhi High Court was dismissed in 2011. Singh later filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court, which he subsequently withdrew.
The court’s decision has offered Hari Singh a renewed opportunity for release, dependent on the SRB’s fresh evaluation. The order underscores the judiciary’s stance that long-term incarceration must also consider the possibility of reform and reintegration into society.
By recognising his good conduct and directing a timely review, the High Court has reopened the door for Hari Singh to potentially secure premature release after decades in prison.
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