HC grants interim bail to lifer to support daughter appearing for matric exam

Cuttack: Orissa high court on Monday granted interim bail to a convict serving life term to enable him to support his minor daughter during her ongoing High School Certificate (HSC) Examination.A division bench of Justices Manash Ranjan Pathak and Sibo Sankar Mishra passed the order while hearing an interlocutory application filed by the prisoner, who was convicted in 2021 in connection with a 2010 murder case registered at Jagatsinghpur police station. The convict, in his 40s, is currently serving rigorous imprisonment for life in a Jagatsinghpur jail. He has challenged his conviction in a criminal appeal pending before the HC.Seeking temporary release, the convict told the court that his 16-year-old daughter is appearing for the HSC exam from Feb 19 to March 2. He submitted that she is residing in their native village with her elderly grandparents and is facing difficulty commuting to the exam centre.Acting on the court’s Feb 18 direction, the inspector in-charge of Jagatsinghpur police station conducted a local inquiry and submitted a report on Feb 20.

The report confirmed that the girl is appearing at an exam centre, about 5 km away from her village. It also verified the genuineness of her admit card and stated that no adverse antecedents were found against her father other than the present case.Taking note of the police report and age of the grandparents — 76 and 70 — the bench observed that the circumstances warranted interim relief.The court directed the sessions judge, Jagatsinghpur, to release the convict on interim bail till March 10 from the date of his release, subject to terms and conditions deemed appropriate. He has been directed to surrender immediately thereafter and file a surrender certificate. The criminal appeal will be listed for hearing after March 10.