Special remission or not, Navjot Sidhu may walk out of jail in April

According to sources, for every 30 days in jail (a month), all convicts – other than those lodged in cases under the NDPS Act – earn four to five days of remission, depending upon the nature of work assigned and the conduct of the prisoner in jail.

A government functionary said that while calculating general remission, two months are not considered – the first month in which the convict was lodged in jail and the last one when the prisoner is released – irrespective of the date of entry/release.

In Sidhu’s case, he was lodged in Patiala Central Jail on May 20 last year after he surrendered before a Patiala court. He was awarded one-year rigorous imprisonment by the Supreme Court which was deciding a review petition in a 1988 road rage case for which Sidhu was awarded imprisonment. Gurnam Singh, 65, had died allegedly after being assaulted by Sidhu over a parking altercation.

Going by the rules, the month of May will not be considered for calculating Sidhu’s general remission. His general remission would be calculated from June 1, 2022, said the official. By March 31, Sidhu will complete nine months in jail.

A five-day general remission each month would translate to 45 days of total remission by the end of March 31. By factoring in this remission period of 45 days, which will be subtracted from May 19, Sidhu will be eligible to be released from jail in the first week of April, said a source.

Even if a general remission of four days is calculated per month, he will be eligible for release in the second week of April.

One of Sidhu’s counsels, advocate Harinder Pal Singh Verma had earlier told The Indian Express that Sidhu cannot be kept in jail beyond April 8 or 9. An official, however, said, “The dates given by Sidhu’s counsel may not be exactly accurate, but yes, he would be eligible for release around those dates.”

Talking to The Indian Express Friday, Verma said he met the Congress leader in jail on January 20 and Sidhu told him, “It will be fine if I am released and even if I am not released that day [Republic Day], there is no burden on me. I will face what destiny has in store for me. I will face it without any fear.”

According to Verma, Sidhu was “very positive” and said it hardly made any difference when he was released.