HC rejects Umesh Reddy's plea for parole

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court dismissed the petition for a 30-day parole filed by serial rapist and killer BA Umesh Reddy, who is currently undergoing imprisonment for life at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru.

Reddy’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the apex court in 2022.

Questioning the rejection of his plea by the prison authorities for release on parole for 30-days, Reddy had approached the High Court.

Dismissing the Reddy’s petition, Justice M Nagaprasanna passed an order saying that merely because the apex court has granted him an opportunity to seek remission after 30 years of which he has already completed 26 years in imprisonment since his arrest, he is not entitled for parole.

Reddy in his plea for parole, mentioned that he wanted to be with his 84-year-old ailing mother and to undertake repair of her house, which is said to be in dilapidated condition.

Quoting the police report, the court pointed out that Reddy has two brothers, one of whom is staying with the mother, and a sister to care of his ailing mother and to undertake the required repair work of mother’s house situated at Basappa Malige village, Hiriyur taluk in Chitradurga district.

Apex court guidelines

Citing the guidelines issued by the apex court, the High Court noted that reformation theory of sentencing and the competing public interest will have to be kept in mind while considering the cases for granting parole or furlough.

“The public interest demands that those who are habitual offenders and may have the tendency to commit the crime again on their parole, or have the tendency to become a threat to the law and order of society, should not be released on parole,” the High Court said while relying on the apex court’s guidelines.

Considering the large public interest, his plea for release on parole for 30 days cannot be considered based on reformative theory as the police report, sought by the prison authorities for considering his plea for parole, has also indicated that there would be threat to his life due to his past enmity in his native place.

Umesh Reddy, a policeman-turned-serial killer and rapist, was arrested in 1998 from Chitradurga district.