PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Thursday directed three convicts seeking premature release in the 2006 Mandar Surlakar murder case to pay the fine imposed by the trial court and place a compliance report by Friday.
The matter was listed before the High Court for directions, as the court noted that although the convicts Rohan Dhungat, Shankar Tiwari and Ryan Pinto have completed the substantive sentence required for consideration of premature release, the fines forming part of the sentence remain unpaid.
The three convicts approached the High Court challenging the State government’s decision refusing them premature release.
During the hearing, the court observed that the trial court had, apart from imposing life imprisonment, also directed the convicts to pay fines under the offences for which they were convicted. The records indicated that the fines had not been deposited.
The court was informed that non-payment of the fine attracts a default sentence of simple imprisonment, which can only be avoided upon payment of the fine. Accordingly, the High Court directed the petitioner-convicts to deposit the amount and file a compliance report on Friday.
Meanwhile, Deepak Surlakar, father of the deceased Mandar Surlakar, filed a separate petition before the High Court opposing the plea for premature release of the three convicts. The petitions are scheduled to be taken up again on Friday after the compliance report is filed.
