Former Punjab CM Beant Singh’s murder convict declines custody parole offer, seeks regular parole

Former Punjab CM Beant Singh's murder convict declines custody parole offer, seeks regular parole

Former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination convict Jagtar Singh Hawara on Wednesday declined the Delhi Prisons Department’s two-day custody parole offer to meet his ailing octogenarian mother, as he sought regular parole, said people familiar with the matter.

How events unfolded

Custody parole is a short-term, supervised release of a convicted prisoner from jail. An armed police escort stays with the inmate the entire time as they attend urgent family events. Hawara is currently lodged in Central Jail, Mandoli . “Based on the court’s directions and security review, top officials granted Hawara custody parole of two days. However, he denied it, saying he does not want police protection.

He’s a high-risk prisoner and we have to deploy staff with him,” said a senior official posted at the Delhi Prisons Department headquarters in Tihar, on the condition of anonymity. “Top officials will take a final call whether he’ll be given custody parole or normal parole,” he added.