The Gauhati High Court ruled that the heinous nature of an offence alone cannot justify rejecting remission for a life convict. It said authorities must conduct a comprehensive, case-specific assessment of every prisoner before deciding on premature release.
The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Assam Government on the bail plea of Shyamkanu Mahanta, an accused in the case linked to the death of Assam music icon Zubeen Garg. Mahanta, organiser of the North East India Festival in Singapore, approached the apex court after the Gauhati High Court rejected his bail plea.
The Supreme Court’s order in Pawan Khera v. State of Assam is not just another anticipatory bail order it is a quiet but firm reminder that the criminal process cannot be allowed to become a vehicle of political rivalry. The Chief Minister’s own words, the Court found, were a part of the record it could not ignore.
