New Delhi: The man who was found guilty of murdering model Jessica Lall is spending two months as a free man.

Manu Sharma was granted parole in September; recently, that was extended by a month. So he will return to Tihar Jail on the 22nd of this month.

Sharma applied for parole on the grounds that he needs to participate in a ceremony for his grandmother's first death anniversary. He also said that he needs to attend to his business, which employs thousands of people.

Sharma also said that he needs to take care of his ageing mother.

However, over the weekend, he was reportedly spotted at a nightclub in Delhi. And his mother addressed a press conference on Saturday to promote a cricket match she helped organise. Both factors have led to questions over Sharma's bail application.

The controversy is also embarrassing for Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who formally signed off on the parole request. Dikshit insists that she has not done Sharma any favours. She says Sharma meets the pre-requisites for parole. These include good behaviour in prison. Many legal experts disagree, pointing out that only 20% of convicted killers in India are granted bail.

Sharma was found guilty of killing model Jessica Lall in 1999, and was sentenced to life in jail by the Supreme Court in 2006.

Sharma's father, Venod, is a senior Congress politician from Haryana. He had served as both a union minister and a state minister in the Haryana government.

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