Former BJP MLA serving life sentence for SP leader Jawahar Yadav murder released after Uttar Pradesh governor's pardon

Prayagraj's senior superintendent of police and the district magistrate made the recommendation to release Udaybhan Karwariya, citing his good conduct in jail.

Lucknow: Former BJP legislator Uday Bhan Karwaria, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder of Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Jawahar Yadav and serving his sentence at Naini Central jail in Prayagraj district, was on Thursday released prematurely on the basis of ''good behaviour'' even as the wife of the slain SP MLA slammed the the state government for Karwaria's release and said that she would approach the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.

Uday Bhan Karwaria and his two brothers were charged with the killing of Jawahar Yadav in broad daylight in Civil Lines area of Prayagraj town in 1996 with automatic weapons. Yadav's driver and a passer-by were also killed in the firing.

All the accused persons were sentenced to life imprisonment in the case in 2009.

The district magistrate of Prayagraj and the police chief had recommended premature release of Uday Bhan Karwaria from jail on the ground of his ''good behaviour''. The order for his release was issued after the state governor accepted the recommendation. Karwaria spent a little over 8 years and nine months in jail.

Karwaria was accorded a grand welcome by his supporters when he came out of the jail. His supporters garlanded him and shouted slogans. Kariwaria's wife and former BJP MLA Neelam Karwaria was also present outside the jail.

Jawahar Yadav's wife Vijma Yadav, who was an SP MLA from Pratappur Assembly seat, slammed the state government for prematurely releasing Karwaria and said that she would move the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.

''The BJP says that the law and order in UP is an example for other states but its government prematurely releases a murder convict...it has exposed the BJP,'' Vijma Yadav said.

She wondered how could a person, who had used automatic weapons to kill her husband in broad daylight, be prematurely released on the grounds of ''good behaviour''. ''Karwaria is a BJP leader and his party needs his services in the upcoming Assembly bypolls in the state and hence he has been released from jail,'' she added.