Latest news with #PriyadarshiniMattoo
The Print
23-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Priyadarshini Mattoo's family meets Delhi minister, urges him to not allow her killer's premature release
As the chairperson of the Sentence Review Board (SRB), Ashish Sood has the final say in the release of Santosh Kumar Singh. Priyadarshini Mattoo was a 25-year-old law student at Delhi University when Santosh Kumar Singh, the son of an IPS officer, raped and murdered her in 1996. New Delhi: Hemant Mattoo, the brother of rape-murder victim Priyadarshini Mattoo, met with Delhi Minister of Home Department Ashish Sood Wednesday at the Delhi Secretariat 'to strongly urge him not to permit the release of convicted rapist and murderer Santosh Kumar Singh from Tihar jail under any circumstances'. His previous plea for early release 'had rightly been rejected' by the SRB, a statement by Priyadarshini's family and the founding members of the 'Justice for Priyadarshini Mattoo' campaign from 2006 said. The SRB must 'uphold the principles of justice and public safety by denying any leniency to a man convicted of such a brutal and premeditated crime', stressed the statement. 'We believe this is a moment of critical moral responsibility—to ensure that the integrity of the justice system is not undermined and that the voice of the victim and the collective conscience of the nation are not ignored,' the statement added further. A letter, emphasising these points, was handed over to Sood by the family and the campaigners who helped get justice for Priyadarshini years after her rape-murder. Back in 1995, Priyadarshini Mattoo lodged multiple complaints against Santosh Kumar Singh in the same year, accusing him of stalking her—first in February, then in August when he followed her home, and later in November when he physically assaulted her. Santosh Kumar Singh, her college senior, had been pursuing her relentlessly in the months leading up to her death. Each time, the police excused him after he signed an undertaking, saying he would stop. He, however, did not stop. So, Priyadarshini Mattoo and her father, Chaman Lal Mattoo, reached the then police commissioner, Nikhil Kumar, for redressal. Seeking revenge for their move against him, Santosh Kumar Singh, on 26 January 1996, committed the premeditated rape and murder of Priyadarshini Mattoo. He entered her house in the evening. Later, her body, with the cord of a room heater around her neck, was found under her bed. A trial court in Delhi acquitted the son of the IPS officer in 1999, giving him the benefit of the doubt. The CBI, however, took the case to the Delhi High Court in February 2000, but the court then denied extending priority to the case. Six years later, following a nationwide uproar, the Delhi HC took suo motu cognisance of the case and expedited the trial, going on to award the death penalty to Santosh Kumar Singh on 30 October 2006, in what the court recognised as the 'rarest of rare cases'. In October 2010, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction but commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment. On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court directed the Sentence Review Board (SRB) to reconsider the case for the premature release of Santosh Kumar Singh afresh. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Radhika Yadav's murder proves the khap panchayat never left—it just moved back into the family
News18
21-07-2025
- News18
‘Priyadarshini's Killer Was In Open Jail, How Can He Seek Release?' Hemant Mattoo Speaks To News18
Priyadarshini Mattoo's brother Hemant expressed shock over leniency shown towards convict Santosh Singh, who has benefited from a reduced sentence and an open jail arrangement In a deeply emotional and revealing conversation, Hemant Mattoo, brother of Priyadarshini Mattoo, shared his thoughts on the July 1 Delhi High Court directive to reconsider the rejection of a sentence review plea filed by Santosh Kumar Singh — the man convicted of raping and murdering Priyadarshini in 1996. This isn't the first time the review board has rejected his plea. Hemant expressed his shock and disappointment over the legal leniency shown toward the convict, who has already benefited from a reduced sentence and an open jail arrangement. He strongly questioned the justice system's idea of 'reformation", emphasising the complete absence of remorse or acknowledgment from Singh or his family. Hemant also opened up about the immense personal loss his family suffered due to the crime, saying that 'his father, mother and sister died prematurely" because of the crime committed by Singh. I was stunned and very disappointed. I couldn't believe that he received some leniency. The Supreme Court had already commuted his sentence from the death penalty to life imprisonment. At that time, the impression was that 'life imprisonment" would mean decades in prison. Since then, I have been following the case closely—especially alongside my father until he passed away in 2016. After the 2008 High Court judgment that convicted him, he was in prison. But after a few years, he was shifted to an open jail where he could leave during the day and return in the evening. What is your concern now? My concern is that he hasn't fully served the punishment he was supposed to. Considering the gravity of the crime and his past behaviour, it's very concerning that he is getting leniency. Has he ever reached out? Has he ever shown remorse or contacted us? Did he or his family ever try to apologise? Never. Neither he nor his family has ever approached my parents or me to say even a single word acknowledging our suffering. I don't know what 'reformation" means in the justice system if there's no remorse, no apology, no acknowledgment. What has he done in jail that merits release? The lower court acquitted him, then the High Court convicted him in a strongly worded order, and the Supreme Court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment. Do you think the Indian judicial system helped you get justice? To some extent, yes—until the High Court stage. The High Court took cognisance of the gravity of the case, his pattern of harassment and stalking, and the influence his father had on the police and other departments. The trial court didn't rely on circumstantial evidence and let him go. But the High Court did, and we were satisfied at that point. However, we were disappointed with the lower court earlier and even with the Supreme Court when it commuted his death sentence. Do you think this is a complete judicial process, and should he be given a chance to reform and live in society or you think he would be dangerous for society? I can't predict if he will be dangerous, but I've never met him or spoken to him. What I know is he hasn't served the punishment he was supposed to. He's a manipulative person—he was manipulating the system before the crime, after the crime, and even during the sentence. How many convicts are allowed into open jails? He hasn't even completed his life sentence. The recent order talks about of 'reformation". What's your view? To me, reformation would mean that he or his family would come and acknowledge the pain caused to my family. My parents were alive till 2020. No one came forward. They act as if what happened was justified or irrelevant. There's no remorse. They act like they can bend the system however they want. We've been shown from the beginning that they simply don't care. Hypothetically, if he or his family came and sincerely apologised, would you be able to accept his premature release? I don't think so. This has gone too far. One incident destroyed my family. My father died prematurely. My mother passed away prematurely. My other sister also passed away. Three family members gone because of that one incident. I can never forgive him. He should have been hanged. Can you tell us about the challenges your family faced during this long legal journey? My father was the one who pursued the case. He faced huge challenges with the CBI—one day they would say something encouraging, the next day something disappointing. My father believed Singh's father, then an IPS officer, was influencing the investigation. The CBI's stance kept shifting, probably under pressure. Will you challenge the premature release if it happens? We are already doing that. Through friends and legal acquaintances in Delhi, we are submitting written responses to both the Delhi and Central governments. We are asking them to consider the case background, public sentiment, his dangerous behavioural pattern, and the high risk of repeat offending. He has never shown remorse—he may even come out with a revengeful mindset. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : news18 specials view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 21, 2025, 07:00 IST News india 'Priyadarshini's Killer Was In Open Jail, How Can He Seek Release?' Hemant Mattoo Speaks To News18 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. 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News18
03-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Mental Health, Victim Input Must Be Part Of Premature Release Decisions': Delhi High Court
The bench was ruling on petitions challenging the denial of early release to convicts, including one filed by Santosh Kumar Singh, convicted in the Priyadarshini Mattoo case In a judgement concerning the administration of criminal justice and the rights of convicts, the Delhi High Court has recommended sweeping reforms in the framework governing premature release of life convicts. The single bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula, while ruling on a batch of petitions challenging the denial of early release to convicts, including one filed by Santosh Kumar Singh, convicted in the infamous 1996 Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case, flagged serious procedural gaps in the functioning of the Sentence Review Board (SRB). The court held that decisions on premature release must align with constitutional imperatives of fairness, non-arbitrariness, and reasoned decision-making. It observed that the current system lacks structural integrity and fails to reflect a substantive evaluation of a convict's reformative progress. Lack of Mental Health Evaluation 'Significant Shortcoming' The court found that the current framework under the Delhi Prison Rules (DPR) does not mandate formal psychological assessments by mental health professionals, a flaw the Court described as 'significant". 'A convict's transformation into a potentially reformed individual cannot be meaningfully evaluated without examining the underlying psychological trajectory," the court said. To address this, the court issued a set of binding guidelines recommending that the Delhi government and the department of prisons expeditiously institutionalise the involvement of qualified clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in the SRB process. It directed that psychological evaluations be formally incorporated either through amendments to the DPR or via administrative guidelines. The court emphasised that while the input of probation officers is valuable, it must be supplemented by expert psychological opinion, particularly in cases where the risk of reoffending is central to the decision. Inclusion of Victim's Perspective Must Be Standardised Highlighting the inconsistent implementation of 'victim response" in the current Social Welfare Department format, the court directed the GNCTD to evolve a structured protocol to incorporate victims' perspectives in a sensitive, time-bound, and trauma-informed manner. Where such input cannot be gathered despite reasonable efforts, the Social Welfare Officer must provide a reasoned explanation, and the SRB must document how any victim response was received and considered. SRB's Orders Must Be Reasoned and Non-Mechanical The court was hearing petitions filed by convicts serving life sentences in four separate cases. The petitioners, including Santosh Kumar Singh, had challenged the rejection of their premature release pleas by the SRB, arguing that the decisions were mechanical, lacked application of mind, and failed to account for their conduct during incarceration. In Singh's case, the court found that although the Social Welfare Department had made a favourable recommendation, the SRB failed to acknowledge or reconcile this with the opposing police report. The impugned decision showed no effort to evaluate Singh's positive post-conviction record, including his advanced educational qualifications and participation in prison rehabilitation programmes. 'Thus, in the opinion of this Court, the impugned decision of the SRB cannot be sustained. The rejection order neither discloses a meaningful application of mind nor does it reflect a reasoned analysis of the reformative efforts made by the Petitioner," the court said. The court set aside the SRB's orders in three out of the four petitions, including Singh's, and remanded them back for fresh consideration in accordance with the new directions. In one petition, however, the court upheld the SRB's decision. In doing so, the court stressed that the current functioning of the SRB requires both procedural and substantive overhaul to ensure fairness and transparency. Sukriti Mishra Sukriti Mishra, a Lawbeat correspondent, graduated in 2022 and worked as a trainee journalist for 4 months, after which she picked up on the nuances of reporting well. She extensively covers courts in Delhi.
India Gazette
01-07-2025
- India Gazette
Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case: Delhi HC directs SRB to consider afresh Santosh Singh's plea for premature release
ANI 01 Jul 2025, 12:40 GMT+10 New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside the order of the Sentence Review Board (SRB) and directed it to consider afresh the plea of life convict Santosh Kumar Singh. His plea for premature release was declined by the SRB. He was convicted and awarded a death sentence by the Delhi High Court for the murder of Priyadarshini Mattoo on January 16, 1996. The Supreme Court later commuted his sentence. Santosh is the son of a former inspector general of police. Justice Sanjeev Narula set aside the recommendation of the SRB and remanded the matter for consideration afresh. 'I have seen some reformation in the petitioner,' Justice Narula said while pronouncing the order. The High Court has also given some directions for the consideration of the matter for premature release by the sentence review board. He had challenged the order of the SRB in 2023. Priyadarshini Mattoo was found dead in her house. A case of rape and murder was registered. Santosh Singh was acquitted by the trial court in 1999, leading to a huge hue and cry. The prosecution had then appealed against the acquittal in 2000. The Delhi High Court had heard the matter. He was sentenced to death by the Delhi High Court on October 30, 2006. His death sentence was commuted to a life sentence by the Supreme Court in October 2010. (ANI)
