Jessica Lall's sister won't object to Manu Sharma's release
Sabrina Lall, Jessica Lall's sister, has forgiven Siddhartha Vashistha better known as Manu Sharma and has no objection to his early release. Responding to a letter from Tihar Central Jail, where Sharma is serving life imprisonment, Sabrina Lall said, "I would like to state I have no objection to his release, owing to the fact that he has spent 15 years in jail."
Sabrina Lall in the letter to prison refused financial assistance from victim welfare fund and asked the jail officials to give it to someone who needs it more. The murder of Jessica Lall by former Union Minister Venod Sharma's son had grabbed nationwide attention.
Sabrina added she learned Sharma was involved in charity work, and it shows he is being reformed. A jail officer wrote to Sabrina regarding "compensation and release of Sidhartha Vashishta s/o Venod Sharma convicted in FIR no 287/1999 under section 302 IPC". Lall said Sharma has served his sentence and it will be a "catharsis to forgive and move on".
"I don't want to hold to any more anger or hurt. I feel he has served his sentence. I don't feel there is any need to hanker about the situation. I am done with it. In my own mind I have forgiven him," said Sabrina.
Last October, Sharma was sent to an open-jail facility owing to his 'good behavior'. Each day he leaves the Tihar Jail premises at 8 AM and returns by 6 PM. He works for the Siddhartha Vashistha Foundation that claims to work for the welfare of children, whose parents are in prison. An employee claimed the foundation has helped 700 children.
The Delhi Government allows convicts to approach a review board for a premature release. Convicts who have served 14 years in prison, without remission, or 20 years with remission in special cases, are eligible to apply. Manu Sharma has completed 15 years in prison approximately and can make case for himself. In 1999, Sharma shot Jessica, a bartender, for refusing to serve him drinks.
