The Supreme Court on Friday declined to stay the release of former UP minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani, who are serving life imprisonment in the Poet Madhumita Shukla murder case.
The Uttar Pradesh prisons department issued an order on Thursday for the premature release of Amarmani Tripathi, based on the state’s 2018 remission policy, since they have completed a 16-year period of imprisonment.
A bench comprising Justices Aniuddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued notices to the state government, Tripathi, and his wife. The bench sought responses within 8 weeks from them regarding a plea submitted by Nidhi Shukla (sister of the poet).
The official stated, citing the order, that the prisons department’s order also cited the advanced age and commendable behaviour of Amarmani (66) and Madhumani, aged 61.
Currently, Amarmani Tripathi and his wife are admitted to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.
Poet Madhumita, who was pregnant, was shot dead on May 9, 2003, in Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow. Amarmani Tripathi got arrested in September 2003 in connection with the murder of the poet with whom he was allegedly in a relationship.
A Dehradun court sentenced Amarmani Tripathi and his wife, Madhumani Tripathi, to life imprisonment for the murder in October 2007.
Later, the High Court of Nainital and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence of the couple.
