In the sensational child murder case from Kolhapur during the 1990s, the Bombay High Court on Thursday clarified that Seema Gavit and Renuka Shinde, sisters whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment will not be entitled to furlough or parole like other convicted prisoners. Also, Seema and Renuka's request to grant furlough was rejected.
Both the sisters had applied for furlough leave, which is part of their life sentence, in January 2023. In it, they had sought a furlough of 28 days. However, the police submitted an adverse report against both of them. Moreover, the report highlighted the issue of security and the lack of a stable guarantor for bail. Against this, the Gavit sisters had approached the High Court through lawyer Aniket Vagal and filed a petition. The petition was heard on Thursday before a bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Ranjitsinh Bhosale. At that time, the Gavit sisters claimed that the denial of parole or furlough to them under the Prisons (Bombay Furlough and Parole) Rules, 1959, was arbitrary. In support of his claim, he also cited Supreme Court orders in this regard.
On the other hand, the High Court had quashed the death sentence of the Gavit sisters and sentenced them to life imprisonment until death. The Supreme Court, while upholding the High Court's decision, had clarified that the Gavit sisters would not receive any amnesty in this sentence. According to this order, they will not be eligible for furlough or parole, the government prosecutors told the court. The court also considered the Supreme Court's order regarding the Gavit sisters. The court also rejected the petition filed by Seema and Renuka for furlough leave.
In its affidavit, the government expressed concerns over the severity of the crimes committed by the Gavit sisters, raised issues regarding security, and cited their history of misconduct in prison. Based on these factors, the government had earlier opposed their petition seeking furlough.
It cannot be ruled out that if the Gavit sisters' demand is accepted, the lives of the complainant's relatives and witnesses in the case will be in danger. Moreover, the government had claimed in the affidavit that their behavior in prison had always been violent. The government had also disclosed details of the incidents of mistreatment committed by the petitioners while in prison through the affidavit.
Considering the background of the Gavit sisters during their stay in prison, granting them furlough leave would be dangerous for society, the government had also said in the affidavit.
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