NEW DELHI: Dacoit Queen Phoolan Devi was released on parole on Feb.19 as directed by the Supreme Court after furnishing a consolidated personal bond for Rs 50000 in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate O.P. Gogne
Gogne accepted the personal bond and set her free on parole at 11:10 a.m. The court proceedings lasted for about 20 minutes. The Supreme Court while ordering her for release on parole on Friday also directed the Delhi Police to make adequate security arrangements for her. The court has not included any specific period for parole.
She had unleashed a reign of terror in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in early 80s She had hit the news headlines in February 1981 when she massacred 22 people in Behmai village of Kanpur
Immediately after her release Phoolan was taken to her local address in North Delhi’s Old Gupta Colony under tight security cover. Hundreds of people cheered her as she emerged from the courtroom now a free bird. They shouted slogans in her favor as she left the court premises.
Her freedom comes three years late as according to the terms of Surender of her seven-member gang negotiated verbally on her behalf with the Center her entire gang was to be set free after cight years of imprisonment.
Phoolan planned to stay in Delhi as she fears for her life in Uttar Pradesh her counsel had told the Supreme Court.
The sole survivor among women bandits of the Chambal ravines of Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan Phoolan has to date Hot accepted responsibility for the Behmai massacre. She has maintained that she was on the banks of the Betwa River at the time
Article extracted from this publication >> February 25, 1994
