Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa government has approached the High Court against its recent decision allowing the premature release of three convicts serving life sentences in the 2006 kidnapping and murder of Mandar Surlakar.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam confirmed that the State has filed an appeal, which is yet to come up for hearing.
The challenge follows last Thursday’s judgment by a Division Bench of Justice Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar. The Bench had set aside the government’s December 18, 2025 decision rejecting the State Sentence Review Board’s recommendation for the release of Rohan Dhungat, Ryan Pinto and Shankar Tiwari.
While allowing the release, the court relied on the reformative principle behind remission policies and observed that prolonged incarceration, after more than two decades, may not serve a meaningful purpose.
The court imposed conditions on the three, including mandatory reporting at the local police station once a month for six months, followed by reporting once every three months for another six months.
The issue came into focus again on Monday when the High Court sought an explanation from the State over the delay in releasing Pinto, despite the earlier order. The government told the court that the required formalities were being completed and that Pinto would be released shortly.
Pinto was subsequently released from prison later that evening.
Dhungat and Tiwari were already on parole when the High Court passed its release order. The State said they have been instructed to report to Colvale Central Jail at 10 am on Tuesday to complete the necessary formalities, after which their release orders will be issued.
Following the completion of the process, all three are expected to be treated as released in accordance with the High Court’s directions.
After walking out of prison, Pinto spoke to the media and apologised to the Surlakar family, while declining to share further details.
