THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Convicted serial killer Mahanand Naik has moved the High Court of Bombay at Goa challenging the order of the Sentence Review Board denying his premature release on the grounds of falling short of 14 years of actual imprisonment.
Naik also sought the High Court’s intervention as he challenged Sessions's Court order that denied him the right to set off his sentence. He has particularly contested the Sessions Court's findings that he is not entitled to any set-off benefits having been convicted in a rape case that occurred in 2009.
The Sentence Review Board, in its order dated October 4, 2024, observed that Naik had completed only 13 years and 10 days of actual imprisonment and did not meet the requirements under Section 433 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for premature release.
The High Court has issued a notice to the Goa government seeking its reply to the petition.
Last year, Naik’s furlough release sparked controversy after the lone surviving victim, whose testimony was instrumental in his conviction, expressed concerns about her safety. She sought police protection for herself and her family until Naik returned to prison. Naik, however, completed his 21-day furlough and returned to custody as required.
During the furlough, Naik stayed at the St. Xavier Academy for the Handicapped in Old Goa, as he has been legally separated from his wife, who now resides in Mumbai with their minor daughter.
Naik was charged with allegedly murdering about 15 young women between 1994 and 2009 and raping another girl.
