New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the release of former Uttar Pradesh Minister Amar Mani Tripathi and his wife, serving life imprisonment in the Port Madhurima Shukla murder case. 

The apex court also issued notice to Yogi Aditya Nath led Uttar Pradesh (UP) government and demanded answers against their release. 

Cutting the state’s 2018 policy on remission, UP prisons department on Thursday issued a notification for the premature release of Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani Tripathi. As per the policy prisoners who have completed 16 years of imprisonment can be released based on their behaviour.

Nidhi Shukla, Madhumita Shukla’s sister, filed a plea in the Supreme Court against the release of Amanmani Tripathi and his wife. 

While hearing the matter, a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued notices to the UP government, seeking its replies within eight weeks on a plea filed by the victim’s sister.

The prison department informed them that their release was finalized considering their age and good behavior. Amarmani is 66 years old and Madhumani is 61 years old.

Both the prisoners are currently admitted to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.

Who was Madhumita Shukla?

On 9 May 2003, poet Madhumita was shot dead in Lucknow’s Paper Mill Colony. In September 2003, Amanmani was arrested for his links to the poet’s murder. It was said that he had an affair with her. 

In October 2007, a Dehradun court sentenced Amarmani and Madhumani to life imprisonment for murder. Later the Nainital High Court and the Supreme Court upheld the couple’s conviction. The CBI was investigating the case.

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