PATNA: The Patna high court on Thursday ruled that the nature of crime, committed by any convict serving life imprisonment, can’t be used a parameter for not granting him the benefits of remission.The division bench of Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Madhuresh Kumar was hearing a criminal writ petition filed by a convict Hardeo Rai whose remission was denied by the Bihar State Sentence Remission Board, Patna, based on mere reason that he was involved in a heinous natured crime.The high court rapped the board and simultaneously quashed and set aside its order in which it did not considered Rai for remission.The court ordered that Rai’s matter be sent before board again for consideration during next remission meeting. Counsel Umesh Prasad represented Rai while Prabhu Narayan Sharma represented state government in the matter.Rai was accused in a murder case which took place at Soniya under Daudpur police station area of Saran district on January 5, 1996.Rai was convicted for rigorous imprisonment for life by Saran’s additional sessions judge (ADJ-XI) under Section 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of crime) on February 22, 2003. The convict is lodged behind bars for more than 20 years after which his matter was brought before the remission board for consideration. On June 3 this year, board passed orders that Rai was not considered for release under short sentencing policy of the state government.The high court rapped board as well as presiding officer (from whose court sentence was delivered) for considering nature of crime, committed by Rai as a parameter that he could not be released.“While jail superintendent considered convict’s conduct satisfactory during tenure of conviction, superintendent of police (SP) also gave report that his release would not be problem for peace and tranquillity of society along with prisons department’s probation officer. However, presiding officer, without considering these reports, only considered nature of crime on which remission board completely banked while taking decision not to release Rai,” the bench ruled while delivering its judgement.The bench further ruled that it appears that the board overlooked the SP’s opinion and other report by simply accepted presiding officer’s report.In 2002, Supreme Court had ruled that one has remain inside jail for whole life if sentenced for life imprisonment. However different state government made different rules for remission of life sentences.Bihar has rules of considering remission on completion 20 years imprisonment by a convict.