The Bombay high court on Monday quashed an order passed by the state government rejecting an application made by Sawant, 38, seeking pre-mature release from jail.
Fifteen years after he shot at gangster Ashwin Naik and three policemen in a daring attack at the sessions court building in Fort, the sharpshooter— Ravindra Sawant — may soon walk free.
The Bombay high court on Monday quashed an order passed by the state government rejecting an application made by Sawant, 38, seeking pre-mature release from jail. The government had in January stated that Sawant, who is serving a life term, would have to serve at least 30 years before his application could be considered.
Sawant was sentenced for April 1994’s shooting incident, one of the most brazen in crime lore. A member of Arun Gawli’s gang, Sawant had dressed up as a lawyer and followed Ashwin, younger brother of Gawli’s rival Amar Naik, into the court premises.
When Ashwin was being escorted back to a police van, Sawant fired at him. The bullet hit Naik on the back of his head, paralysing him waist down. Three policemen escorting Naik were also hit.
The injured survived and Sawant was arrested. In September 1996, he was sentenced to life imprisonment under the now-repealed Tada for attempting to murder Naik and three policemen.
Since the government is empowered to release a life convict after 14 years in prison, Sawant, having spent that time in jail, sought pre-mature release. His application, however, was rejected on the grounds that his crime was grave as he had attempted to spread terror in society.
The HC, however, quashed the government order stating that only a person sentenced to life imprisonment for offences like murder could have terms extending to 20-28 years. “But a person who had committed an offence of attempt-to-murder has to remain in jail for 30 years because the state wants it so?
Making an offence, which carries life imprisonment as a maximum sentence, more heinous than the offence which carries death sentence is absurd,” noted justices Bilal Nazki and AR Joshi. The HC told the state government to reconsider Sawant’s application.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}