CRL.M.C. 227/2026 $~79 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CRL.M.C. 227/2026 RAKESH .....Petitioner Through: Ms. Rashmi Singhal, Ms. Ratna Aggarwal, Ms. Ranjana Aggarwal and Mr. Abhishek, Advocates. Ms. Chitra Singh, Advocate. versus THE STATE GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Ms. Shubhi Gupta, APP for the State. SI Ajit Kumar, PS Anand Prabat. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANUP JAIRAM BHAMBHANI O R D E R % 12.01.2026 CRL.M.A. 851/2026 (exemption) Exemption granted, subject to just exceptions. Let requisite compliances be made within 01 week. The application stands disposed of. CRL.M.C. 227/2026 By way of the present petition filed under section 474 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, the petitioner seeks commutation of his life sentence. 2. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits, that the petitioner has already undergone sentence for more than 24 years; and is entitled to be considered for premature release. This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 19/01/2026 at 12:08:51 CRL.M.C. 227/2026 3. However, it is noticed that the petitioner has not approached the Sentence Review Board (‘SRB’) for the above purpose. 4. Since the issue of commuting of sentence must first be placed before the SRB, and only thereafter, the decision of the SRB would be amenable to challenge by way of a criminal writ petition, the present petition is disposed of, directing the Registry to forward the present petition to the jail authorities directing them to place the same before the SRB, to be treated as a representation made by the petitioner. 5. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed-of. 6. Needless to add, that the petitioner would be at liberty to challenge any decision taken by the SRB, as may be permissible, in accordance with law. ANUP JAIRAM BHAMBHANI, J JANUARY 12, 2026/ak This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 19/01/2026 at 12:08:51