Allowed¶5

Pappu Singh @ Raju Singh v. State (Nct of Delhi)

Delhi HC23 Jul 2026W.P.(CRL)/4197/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Premature release; Sentence Review Board (SRB); emergency parole; COVID-19 pandemic; delayed/late surrender (27 days and 3 days); reconsideration ignoring punishment for late surrender; Pappu Singh @ Raju Singh v. State (NCT of Delhi); W.P.(CRL) 4197/2025; Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, J.; reliance on Pradeep Paswan v. State (NCT of Delhi), W.P.(CRL) 14/2026 (Order dt. 20.07.2026); Delhi High Court; jail superintendent copy; rights and contentions left open.

What did the court decide?

Reconsideration of the petitioner's premature release case by the respondent-authority ignoring the late surrenders of 27 days and 3 days, with consideration at the forthcoming SRB meeting; all rights and contentions left open. ¶5

Pappu Singh @ Raju Singh Vs State (Nct of Delhi) — Delhi HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner's premature release claim, rejected primarily on the ground of two instances of delayed surrender during COVID-19 emergency parole (27 days and 3 days), warranted reconsideration. +1 more

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Court's answer

The petitioner's case for premature release shall be reconsidered by the respondent-authority by ignoring the late surrenders of 27 days and 3 days.

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Ratio / Principle

Adopting the approach of this Court in Pradeep Paswan, a delay in surrender during COVID-19 emergency parole, occasioned by the uncertainty prevailing in that period and absent any other adverse conduct, ought not to operate as the sole impediment to the prisoner's premature release claim.

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Key takeaways

The petitioner's case shall be considered in the forthcoming meeting of the Sentence Review Board, with all rights and contentions left open, and a copy of the order sent to the concerned Jail Superintendent.ratio¶7

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Delhi High Court (Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, J.), W.P.(CRL) 4197/2025, order dated 23.07.2026: Petitioner Pappu Singh @ Raju Singh's request for premature release had been rejected (order dated 27.11.2025; SRB minutes dated 16.10.2025) primarily because he surrendered late twice while on emergency parole during the COVID-19 pandemic (27 days and 3 days late). Relying on this Court's decision in Pradeep Paswan vs. State (NCT of Delhi) (Order dated 20.07.2026 in W.P.(CRL) 14/2026), the Court held that pandemic-era uncertainty meant such delayed surrender, absent other adverse conduct, should not be the sole impediment, and directed the respondent-authority to reconsider the case ignoring both late surrenders, at the forthcoming SRB meeting, leaving all rights and contentions open; copy ordered to the concerned Jail Superintendent.

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$~88

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

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- W.P.(CRL) 4197/2025

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PAPPU SINGH @ RAJU SINGH

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.....Petitioner

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Through: Counsel ( appearance not given )

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versus

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STATE (NCT OF DELHI)

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.....Respondent Through: Mr. Yasir Rauf Ansari (ASC), Mr. Alok Sharma, Mr. Pavitra Dixit, Advocates for State. SI Chetan Panwar PS Chhawla.

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CORAM:

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HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV O R D E R % 23.07.2026

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The present petition has been filed challenging order dated 27.11.2025 and the minutes of meeting of the Sentence Review Board (SRB) dated 16.10.2025, whereby, the petitioner's request for premature release has been rejected.

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Learned counsel appearing on the behalf of the petitioner submits that the respondent authorities have failed to appreciate the peculiar circumstances prevailing during the COVID-19 pandemic while considering the petitioner's case. It is submitted that petitioner's case was rejected primarily on the ground that he had violated the conditions of emergency parole on two occasions, inasmuch as there was a delay of 27 days in surrender on the first occasion and 3 days on the second occasion.

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This is a digitally signed order.

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The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/07/2026 at 15:45:29

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It is a matter of common knowledge that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was considerable uncertainty and lack of clarity regarding the implementation of the directions governing emergency parole. Owing to the prevailing circumstances, several prisoners could not surrender within the stipulated period and returned after the prescribed time.

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Bearing in mind the observations made by this Court in the case of Pradeep Paswan vs. State (NCT of Delhi)¹ ,while dealing with the effect of delayed surrender during emergency parole granted amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, held that such delay, occasioned by the uncertainty prevailing during the said period and in the absence of any other adverse conduct, ought not to operate as the sole impediment to the prisoner's claim. The Court accordingly directed that the prisoner's case be considered afresh by ignoring the punishment imposed for late surrender.

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Accordingly, it is directed that the case of the petitioner be reconsidered by the respondent-authority by ignoring the late surrender of 27 days and 3 days.

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All rights and contentions are left open.

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Let the case of the petitioner be considered in the forthcoming meeting of the Sentence Review Board (SRB).

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Let a copy of this order be also sent to the concerned Jail Superintendent.

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PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV, J

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JULY 23, 2026 Aks/SS

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1 Order dated 20.07.2026 in W.P.(CRL) 14/2026

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This is a digitally signed order.

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The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/07/2026 at 15:45:29

Pappu Singh @ Raju Singh v. State (Nct of Delhi)

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Pappu Singh @ Raju Singh v. State (Nct of Delhi)

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

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