Madhumita Shukla murder: SC refuses to stay release of ex-UP minister Amarmani Tripathi

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the release of former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani, who are serving life terms in the Madhumita Shukla murder case.

The Uttar Pradesh prisons department had on Thursday issued an order for the premature release of Amarmani and Madhumani Tripathi citing the state's 2018 policy on remission, since the couple have completed 16 years of imprisonment.

An SC bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued notices to the state government, Tripathi and his wife, while seeking their replies within eight weeks on a plea filed by the deceased poet's sister Nidhi Shukla.

The prisons department also cited their "age and good behaviour" as Amarmani is 66 and Madhumani is 61, a prisons department official said, citing the order.

Amarmani Tripathi and his wife are currently admitted to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.

Madhumita, a poet and writer, was shot dead on 9 May, 2003 in Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow. Amarmani Tripathi was arrested in September 2003 in connection with the murder, and it was reported that he was in a relationship with Madhumita, who was pregnant at the time of her death. The case was later handed over to the CBI.

A Dehradun court had sentenced Amarmani and Madhumani Tripathi to life imprisonment for the murder in October 2007. Later, the Nainital High Court and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence.