Manu Sharma, Jessica Lal

New Delhi, Nov. 16: Delhi High Court today granted Manu Sharma parole for five days to attend his brother’s wedding, but police said they would keep an eye on Jessica Lal’s convicted murderer given his past record and love for the “night life”.

“We have learnt from past experience and this time we will ask some of our officers to keep an eye on him once he is out on parole from Tihar,” said a senior IPS officer.

“Who knows he might succumb to the temptation of enjoying night life in the capital with his friends.”

Sharma, serving a life term for the 1999 murder of the celebrity bartender, was found partying in a discotheque in the capital the last time he had been granted parole to visit his ailing mother in Chandigarh and attend his grandmother’s last rites.

That was in 2009 and his presence at the nightclub, confirmed by video footage, had landed the Delhi government, which had recommended the parole, in a soup.

The police officer recalled that Sharma had got into a brawl at the nightclub. Some people who recognised him had tipped off the police but, by the time the cops reached the spot, Sharma had left. Video cameras, however, caught him stepping into the pub.

The high court today granted Sharma parole on the condition that he wouldn’t visit nightclubs or discotheques during the five days he is out of jail from November 21.

“The petitioner is allowed to be released on parole for five days but he shall not visit any nightclub or discotheque,” Justice V.K. Shali said in his order.

“If he is found in any pub or discotheque or visiting places beyond as specified by the court, he will be taken into custody immediately. And from next time, we will ensure that he does not get parole,” the police officer said.

The court directed Sharma to surrender before the superintendent of Tihar jail once his parole expired. The judge asked him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of a like amount before confining the parole to Chandigarh, Karnal and Ambala. Sharma was also instructed to provide his residential addresses in these three places to the jail superintendent.

“It is the job of the police to keep a tab on convicted people who are granted parole,” Neeraj Kumar, director-general (prisons), Delhi, said.

Sharma’s counsel Ram Jethmalani had earlier informed the court about the schedule for the wedding ceremonies, which include a pre-marriage “ladies’ sangeet” on November 21 in Chandigarh, the wedding in Karnal on November 22, and the reception at Ambala on November 24.

Delhi police had at first objected to Sharma’s plea to be allowed to attend his younger brother’s wedding but later said he should submit an undertaking that he wouldn’t go beyond Karnal, Ambala and Chandigarh.

Sharma, son of an influential Congress leader in Haryana, was in 2006 sentenced to life in prison by Delhi High Court for murdering Jessica at Tamarind Court restaurant. He had shot the model when she refused to serve him after-hour drinks.

The Supreme Court last year upheld his life term.