Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Telangana High Court Questions 40-Year Parole Monitoring Failure
Sandela Veeranna was sentenced to life in prison for murder in 1983.
He left prison on parole after serving only a short time.
He did not return for about 40 years.
During that time, he worked as a government teacher and retired.
Police arrested him in May 2024 when he was 75 years old.
His wife asked the court to allow him parole again for medical reasons.
The Telangana High Court rejected that request.
The court also said authorities must improve how they track people released on parole.
Sandela Veeranna, convicted of murder in 1983, served six months and seven days before leaving prison on parole.
Authorities failed to locate Veeranna for more than four decades while he worked as a government teacher and later retired.
A Special Task Force arrested the 75-year-old in Mahabubabad district on May 16, 2024.
The Telangana High Court dismissed his wife’s petition challenging the denial of parole and remission after his arrest.
Justice T. Madhavi Devi directed the state to create monitoring guidelines and special task forces for parolees.
- Who
- Sandela Veeranna, a 75-year-old life convict, and Telangana High Court Justice T. Madhavi Devi.
- What
- The court rejected a petition seeking parole and criticized authorities for failing to track Veeranna for more than 40 years.
- When
- Veeranna was convicted in 1983 and arrested on May 16, 2024; the court issued its directions in the related proceedings.
- Where
- The case was heard by the Telangana High Court and involved Veeranna from Peddamupparam village in Mahabubabad district.
- Why
- The court said the lapse exposed weaknesses in monitoring prisoners released on parole and directed the state to improve enforcement.
- Conviction
- Veeranna was convicted of murder in 1983 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Time served
- He served six months and seven days before leaving prison on parole.
- Time unaccounted for
- Authorities failed to track him for more than 40 years.
- Arrest date
- May 16, 2024.
- Age at arrest
- 75.
- Employment
- He obtained a government teaching job, received a Best Teacher Award in 2004 and retired on superannuation.
- Court directive
- The state was ordered to frame parole-monitoring guidelines and constitute special task forces.