Delhi rejects former Haryana CM’s parole plea

Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung on Wednesday rejected the parole application made by former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, who is serving a 10-year sentence in Tihar jail. Chautala was convicted in a teachers' recruitment scam.

Chautala had sought a transfer to a prison in Punjab but the Delhi government had refused to transfer him out of Tihar. The Delhi home minister had been summoned by the Lieutenant-Governor over Chautala's application but he had refused to transfer Chautala saying he was found guilty by a special CBI court and this decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been embroiled in a bitter turf war with the Lt-Governor, questioned Jung's interest in the case after he had summoned Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain, sources said.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Jung's office said, ''The principal secretary (home) and minister (home), GNCTD did not recommend the parole on the ground that convict had last availed one month parole w.e.f. April 4, 2015 to May 5, 2015, further extended upto May 28, 2015 and he surrendered on June 3, 2015.''

Jung rejected the parole plea on 5 October, as there should be a six months' gap from the date of termination of last parole and no parole application had been received from him thereafter.