In Brief
The Supreme Court heard consolidated criminal appeals concerning five prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment who sought release through habeas corpus petitions, claiming they were denied premature release benefits granted to others. The High Court had allowed their petitions and ordered release. The Court held that while a person lawfully sentenced by a competent court cannot claim illegal detention merely because premature release was denied to them, it examined their rehabilitation, conduct in prison, and the nature of their offences. Ultimately, the Court upheld the High Court's orders releasing the prisoners, finding they had been rehabilitated and were entitled to premature release, subject to availability in other pending cases.
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