The Kerala government on Tuesday submitted at the High Court that CPI (M) leader PK Kunjananthan, convict in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case, was not given any special privileges on political grounds while allowing parole.
K Snehalatha, Under Secretary in the Home Department submitted in a counter affidavit before the court that Kunjananathan was considered a well-behaved prisoner and no complaints had been received against him while in prison.
Chandrasekaharan's wife KK Rema had moved court challenging the frequent parole granted to Kunjananthan on political grounds.
A prisoner is entitled to ordinary leave for 60 days in a calendar year and well-behaved prisoners are granted such leave in accordance with the prison rules, on their request. It was submitted that the government is vested with the power to extend emergency leave for a maximum period of 45 days at a time, the Hindu reports.
He was released on ordinary leave not more than 60 days in a calendar year since his conviction and sentence, which revealed that he had not availed of any ordinary leave in violation of the statutory process, the government submitted.
In January the High Court pulled up the government for granting excessive and frequent parole to Kunjananthan.
The High Court in responding to the government's contention that he had been let out for medical treatment, stated that if he was not well, it was the duty of the state to give him medical treatment and not to let him out of jail on parole. The court also issued a notice to Kunjananthan and asked the government to file a response in the matter within two weeks.
Kunjananthan is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader TP Chandrasekharan aka TP, who floated his own political outfit after parting ways with the CPI (M). The 13th accused in the sensational case, Kunjananthan had been sentenced in January 2014 by a Special Additional Sessions Court in Kozhikode.
He has enjoyed over 400 days of parole since he was convicted. .