Controversy Erupts as Former UP Minister and Wife’s Release Reveals Significant Time Spent Outside Prison

New Delhi, August 25, 2023: Former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife, who were convicted in 2007 for the murder of poet Madhumita Shukla, are set to be released from prison after serving more than 16 years of a life term.

However, a revelation by Nidhi Shukla, the sister of the murdered poet, has stirred controversy, alleging that the couple spent over 62 percent of their sentence outside of jail. She claims to possess government documents obtained through an RTI request that support her claim.

According to Nidhi Shukla, “I have been telling everyone this is going to happen… I have procured documents through an RTI and these clearly state that 62 percent of the jail term that the two are said to have served had been spent out of jail.” She submitted these documents to relevant authorities, expressing concerns about the decision to release the convicts.

The UP Prisons Department justified the release based on the convicts’ old age and good behavior during their time in prison. Amarmani Tripathi, 66, and his wife Madhumani, 61, are currently admitted to Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College.

Tripathi, a former minister in ex-UP Chief Minister Mayawati’s government, has faced allegations of misleading prison authorities. Despite his influence and political affiliations, he was convicted for the murder of Madhumita Shukla and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court, however, has refused to intervene in their release but has sought a response from the UP government within eight weeks.