Manu Sharma had sought permission to travel to Chandigarh, where he was allotted the exam centre.

Manu Sharma, who is undergoing life term in the Jessica Lal murder case, was on Wednesday granted parole for nine days by the Delhi High Court to appear for his exams in postgraduate diploma in human rights, a correspondence course he is pursuing from Tihar jail.

Sharma had applied for a month's parole, saying he not only had to sit for his second semester exams but also needed time to "prepare the master thesis, field report, study report, case study report and pick a guide as required for completion of the postgraduate course".

Justice Hima Kohli granted parole to Sharma from December 28 to January 5 after police informed the court that the exams, to be conducted by the Indian Institute of Human Rights, would commence from December 30.

The court, however, directed Sharma to appear for his exams in Delhi and not Chandigarh, and restrained him from travelling outside the national capital. The court ordered him to write a letter of consent in this regard. Tihar authorities were directed to send the letter to the institute and get his exam centre shifted to Delhi.

Sharma had sought permission to travel to Chandigarh, where he was allotted the exam centre. Tihar authorities opposed the plea, arguing that there were centres in Delhi where candidates could appear for the exam and that there was no need for Sharma to go to Chandigarh.

Seeking a month's parole, Sharma claimed that on November 27, 2013, the superintendent of Tihar jail sent his application for grant of parole to the government but no order had been passed by the government on the plea.

During arguments, his counsel told the court that Sharma had received several certificates of good conduct from the jail authorities and was taking care of 470 children of convicts by financing their studies. His lawyer argued Sharma had not flouted any condition laid down by the court when he was granted parole in the past.

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