Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Aug 7: The Bombay High Court has ordered the premature release of three life convicts in the 2006 kidnapping and murder case of Mandar Surlakar after quashing the Goa government's decision rejecting the Sentence Review Board's recommendation.

The three convicts — Rohan Dhungat, Shankar Tiwari and Ryan Pinto — had completed 14 years of actual imprisonment and were recommended for premature release by the Sentence Review Board.

A division bench set aside the state government's order rejecting their release and also dismissed a plea filed by the victim's father opposing the decision.

The court directed the convicts to report to their local police station once every month for the first six months after their release and once every three months during the following six months.

A fourth life convict in the case, Nafiyaz Shaikh, has not approached the High Court seeking similar relief.

The four accused were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Goa Children's Court in 2014 for the kidnapping and murder of Mandar Surlakar.

According to the prosecution, the case dates back to August 2006, when the accused allegedly conspired to kidnap a wealthy individual for ransom. Mandar Surlakar, whose father was a builder, was allegedly lured from his residence on the pretext of discussing a music programme. He was later kidnapped, a ransom of Rs 50 lakh was demanded, and he was subsequently murdered. His body was later found abandoned near Arla Keri.

In 2019, the Bombay High Court upheld the conviction and life sentences of the accused while dismissing a plea seeking enhancement of the punishment to the death penalty or imprisonment for the remainder of their lives without remission.

The Sentence Review Board had first recommended the premature release of all four convicts in 2020. However, the state government declined to accept the recommendation.

In 2022, the High Court rejected the convicts' petitions after observing that the period spent on parole could not be counted towards the mandatory 14 years of actual imprisonment.

After completing the required period in prison, the convicts again sought premature release in 2024. Although the Sentence Review Board initially declined their request, the High Court directed the board to reconsider the matter.

In May 2025, the board unanimously recommended their release. Despite this, the state government again rejected the proposal, prompting another legal challenge.

The High Court has now quashed the government's latest order and directed the release of the three convicts in accordance with the board's recommendation.