Hyderabad, October 02: Though G Suryanarayana Reddy alias Maddelacheruvu Suri accused in the Jubilee Hills bomb blast case of 1997, is listed as one among the 940 life convicts to be released tomorrow on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi, he might not be a free bird so soon.
A source in the prison department said: “He will become a free bird only after he is granted bail or gets acquitted in the Paritala Ravi murder case.
Till such time he would be behind bars.’’ The State Government issued orders today granting special remission to 940 prisoners who are undergoing life imprisonment in various prisons located in the State.
Suri was the main accused in the sensational Jubilee Hills car bomb case which left 25 dead at Ramanaidu studios in November 1997. Though the `target’ was the former Telugu Desam Party leader Paritala Ravi, he escaped the bid then. The police arrested 21 persons in connection with the case. He is also an accused in the killing of Paritala Ravi. V Prabhakar Reddy, G Vasudev Reddy, R Ananda Reddy and S Pavan Kumar Reddy who were involved in the incident are also being released along with Suri. In all, among the prisoners to be released tomorrow are 28 women prisoners.
The prisoners are being released from Cherlapally jail (110), Cherlapally Open-Air jail (116), Rajahmundry jail (196), Anantapur Open-Air jail (202), Kadapa (95), Warangal (73), Visakhapatnam (67), Nellore (43) and the remaining prisoners from Khammam subjail (9), Hyderabad Women’s jail (15), Rajahmundry Women’s jail (9) and Hyderabad District jail (4).
Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy told reporters here today that all the prisoners are being released as per the guidelines framed by the State Government. Their names were cleared for release by a special screening committee headed by the Home Secretary as per norms.
Governor ND Tiwari has approved the list of life prisoners submitted for remission. The Prisons Department officials have been directed to initiate necessary procedures for release of the life prisoners at the earliest.
“Though the Government wanted to release the prisoners on the occasion of Independence Day itself, it did not materialise due to legal hurdles. They are now being released as per the wishes of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy for their good conduct,’’ said the Home Minister. The prisoners are being released on condition of appearing before the Probation Officers or the police stations concerned once in three months for five years and also execution of personal bond of Rs 25,000.
The prisoner will be re-arrested in case he/she commits any criminal offence.
Meanwhile, on the release of Naxal prisoners, noted Revolutionary writer and poet Varavara Rao said there were four prisoners in the Cherlapalli prison and of them only Shankar has the chance of getting released.
Ganesh, who was serving sentence in the killing of Magunta Subbarami Reddy and a police constable, may not get the remission since a public servant was killed in the incident as pointed out by the Home Minister. Similarly, Mallesh and Ramesh, who were sentenced under TADA Act may or may not be released.
“Since we do not have TADA Act now, remission may be applicable to them. In Ganesh’s case late Subbarami Reddy’s wife and former MP Parvathamma also expressed readiness to file a mercy petition. He has been lodged in the jail for the past 17 years. In any case, Cherlapally prison officials say they have not yet received the list of prisoners to be released,’’ Varavara Rao clarified.
–Agencies–