New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to pass any interim order restraining early release of former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani Tripathi in connection with the murder case of poetess Madhumita Shukla.

A bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued notice and sought responses from Uttar Pradesh government, Amarmani Tripathi and his wife, and others on the plea filed by Nidhi Shukla, sister of the deceased. The bench said that it would again send the couple behind the bars if complainant's petition succeeds.

The petition filed through advocate Rani Mishra challenged the remission order passed by the Uttar Pradesh government directing the duo's early release, though they were sentenced to life imprisonment in the sensational 2003 murder case.

The case was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and a fast track court in Dehradun on October 24, 2007, convicted Amarmani Tripathi, his wife Madhumani Tripathi, nephew Rohit Chaturvedi, and shooter Santosh Rai for Madhumita's murder.

The release order has been purportedly passed under the top court's directions considering Tripathi's 20 years term in jail and good conduct.