Sabrina Lal has said that she was informed about Sharma’s charitable work and good behaviour during his stay in Tihar jail and has responded to jail authorities in her response letter to the Tihar Jailer.

In a kind-hearted gesture, Sabrina Lal, the sister of Jessica Lal, has given her approval for the release of Siddharth Vashishta alias Manu Sharma. She has expressed “no objection” to the release of her sister’s murderer around two decades ago. Sabrina has said that she was informed about Sharma’s charitable work and good behaviour during his stay in Tihar jail and has responded to jail authorities in her response letter to the Tihar Jailer. Tihar jail authority had written a letter to Lall in connection with “compensation and release of Sidhartha Vahishta s/o Venod Sharma convicted in FIR no 287/1999 under section 302 IPC”.

Sabrina has said that she has “forgiven” Sharma and held no “grudge” as he had served his sentence. Sharma had stayed in jail for a period of 15 years. Sharma, the son of a former Union Minister, was found guilty of shooting Jessica Lall on April 29, 1999 at a south Delhi restaurant Tamarind Court. While a trial court had acquitted Sharma, the Delhi High Court sentenced him in 2006.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court also upheld the Delhi HC order in 2011. According to rules, a convict can be sent to “open jail” but it depends upon his “good behaviour, work and conduct”. According to reports, Sharma has been working with an NGO to help and prisoners and their children. He also provides education fees, books, uniforms to these children.

Earlier, Sharma was given “parole” so that he could appear for Bachelor of Law first semester examinations. Sharma was given relief from December 10 to December 15, 2015 and December 20, 2015 to January 1, 2016. However, Delhi High Court then had directed him to furnish a bond of Rs 50,000 and asked him “keep away from the houses of the witnesses and the deceased’s family members”.