Priyadarshini Mattoo’s case: Delhi HC sets aside decision against convict’s premature release

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) set aside the decision of the sentence review board (SRB) rejecting plea for premature release of Santosh Kumar Singh, who is serving life term for rape and murder of law student Priyadarshini Mattoo in 1996.

“The Court has found elements of reformation in him. The SRB decision is set aside and I have referred the matter back to SRB for fresh consideration,” Justice Sanjeev Narula said while pronouncing the verdict.

The judge said he has also framed certain guidelines to be followed by SRB while considering prisoners’ pleas.

It said the SRB, which looks into sensitive cases involving the premature release of long-term prisoners, must conduct psychological assessment of the convicts while considering their pleas which was not done in this case.

In his plea, Singh had sought quashing of the recommendation of the SRB rejecting his premature release in the meeting held on October 21, 2021. His counsel said Singh has already undergone 25 years of incarceration, including remission.

The counsel said he would be a useful member of the society and for the last several years, he has been in open jail as well.

The court was earlier informed that another SRB meeting was held on September 18, 2024 and his case was again rejected for premature release.

Ms. Mattoo, 25, was raped and murdered in January 1996. Singh, a law student in Delhi University, was acquitted by the trial court in the case on December 3, 1999, but the Delhi High Court had on October 27, 2006 reversed the decision, holding him guilty of rape and murder and awarded him death penalty.

Singh, son of a former IPS officer, had challenged his conviction and death sentence awarded by the high court. In October 2010, the Supreme Court had upheld Singh’s conviction, but reduced the death sentence to life imprisonment.