The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the release of former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani, who are serving life term in poet Madhumita Shukla murder case.

The Uttar Pradesh prisons department had on Thursday issued an order for the premature release of Amarmani Tripathi, citing the state's 2018 policy on remission, since they have completed 16 years of imprisonment.

A bench of Justices Aniuddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued notices to the state government, Tripathi and his wife while seeking their replies within eight weeks on a plea filed by the poet's sister Nidhi Shukla.

The prisons department also cited their age and good behaviour as Amarmani is 66 and Madhumani is 61, the official said citing the order.

Amarmani Tripathi and his wife are currently admitted to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.

Poet Madhumita, who was pregnant, was shot dead on May 9, 2003, in Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow. Amarmani Tripathi was arrested in September 2003 in connection with the murder of the poet with whom he was allegedly in a relationship.

A Dehradun court had sentenced Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani Tripathi to life imprisonment for the murder in October 2007. Later the Nainital High Court and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence of the couple. The case was probed by the CBI.

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