In a controversial move, 10 prisoners belonging to the outlawed Al-Umma, who were serving sentences for their role in the Coimbatore serial blasts of 1998, will be released on Tuesday to coincide with the birth centenary celebrations of DMK founder and former chief minister CN Annadurai.
The state government on Monday announced that prisoners sentenced to specific terms and who had completed 10 years in jail would be released, with the consent of the governor, to mark the conclusion of Anna’s birth centenary celebrations. “As per this norm, 10 prisoners will be freed on September 15,” it said.
The release did not disclose the names of the prisoners, but enquiries revealed that they were all convicts in the Coimbatore blasts case. According to sources, the 10 convicts to be freed are Shahul Hameed, Abdul Rahman, Fakruddin Ali Ahmed, Abdul Farook, Yousuf, Abbas, Yousuf alias Shahjahan, Ashraf, Mohammed Farook and Abdul Rahoof, all members of the Islamic extremist group. They are all serving 13-year sentences and have been in custody since mid-1998, which means that they have completed roughly a little more than 11 years of their sentences. Of these, Yousuf alias Shajahan may not be able to avail of the remission immediately, as he is facing another case, the sources said.
In October 2007, the special court in Coimbatore had sentenced 43 persons, including Al-Umma founder SA Basha and another leader Mohammed Ansari, to life terms and 15 others to 13 years’ rigorous imprisonment. Ten others were awarded 10-year terms and a couple of convicts got seven-year prison terms. The case pertained to the February 14, 1998, blasts in Coimbatore city, in which 58 people were killed and which, the prosecution argued, was aimed at the assassination of BJP leader LK Advani, who was due to address a public meeting in the textile city that day.
Mass remission questioned in the past
The TN government has been releasing numerous prisoners in connection with Anna’s birth anniversary. Last year, over 1,400 prisoners were set free on September 15 to mark the commencement of Anna’s birth centenary celebrations. Convicts freed included many serving life terms, who had completed only seven years of their sentence. But the government then said it would not free prisoners convicted in cases involving explosives, arms, narcotics or crimes against women, such as rape and murder. The mass remission led to criticism, and a PIL against it was filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy. This year, the government played it safe by fixing the norm as “those who have served 10 years after being sentenced to a fixed term”. However, the move is likely to be questioned since the convicts are serving sentences for involvement in an act of terrorism. More than 1,400 prisoners were released last year
Chennai: The DMK government released over 1,400 prisoners on September 15 last year to mark the commencement of Anna’s birth centenary celebrations. The mass remission led to some criticism and a petition challenging the release is pending in the Supreme Court. This time, the government has played it safe by fixing the norm as “those who have served 10 years in prison after being sentenced to a fixed term”.
Stating that the decision was in conformity with law and was in exercise of the government’s prerogative, a senior official said this time the benefit had been extended to convicts sentenced for fixed terms rather than the lifers. Article 161of the Constitution empowers the governor to grant pardon, commutation or remission of sentence to any prisoner. Officials also pointed out that all prisoners were entitled to remission of 48 days for every year served on grounds of good conduct.
Jurists pointed out that while the power of the state to grant remission was absolute, while exercising the power the government must take into account all relevant factors, such as the antecedents of the convict and the impact of his release on society. “If any extraneous considerations are brought to the courts’ notice, it can be stalled,” said a senior jurist. Interestingly, both Hindu and Muslim outfits have made a pitch for grant of pardon to convicts belong to their respective communities in the recent past. State BJP president L Ganesan even called on chief minister M Karunanidhi a fortnight ago, seeking the release of three persons owing allegiance to Hindu outfits. Muslim outfits and human rights organizations were arguing the cause of scores of Muslim prisoners lodged in prison following the 1998 Coimbatore blasts cases.
source
only god can save us from this netas:2guns:
The state government on Monday announced that prisoners sentenced to specific terms and who had completed 10 years in jail would be released, with the consent of the governor, to mark the conclusion of Anna’s birth centenary celebrations. “As per this norm, 10 prisoners will be freed on September 15,” it said.
The release did not disclose the names of the prisoners, but enquiries revealed that they were all convicts in the Coimbatore blasts case. According to sources, the 10 convicts to be freed are Shahul Hameed, Abdul Rahman, Fakruddin Ali Ahmed, Abdul Farook, Yousuf, Abbas, Yousuf alias Shahjahan, Ashraf, Mohammed Farook and Abdul Rahoof, all members of the Islamic extremist group. They are all serving 13-year sentences and have been in custody since mid-1998, which means that they have completed roughly a little more than 11 years of their sentences. Of these, Yousuf alias Shajahan may not be able to avail of the remission immediately, as he is facing another case, the sources said.
In October 2007, the special court in Coimbatore had sentenced 43 persons, including Al-Umma founder SA Basha and another leader Mohammed Ansari, to life terms and 15 others to 13 years’ rigorous imprisonment. Ten others were awarded 10-year terms and a couple of convicts got seven-year prison terms. The case pertained to the February 14, 1998, blasts in Coimbatore city, in which 58 people were killed and which, the prosecution argued, was aimed at the assassination of BJP leader LK Advani, who was due to address a public meeting in the textile city that day.
Mass remission questioned in the past
The TN government has been releasing numerous prisoners in connection with Anna’s birth anniversary. Last year, over 1,400 prisoners were set free on September 15 to mark the commencement of Anna’s birth centenary celebrations. Convicts freed included many serving life terms, who had completed only seven years of their sentence. But the government then said it would not free prisoners convicted in cases involving explosives, arms, narcotics or crimes against women, such as rape and murder. The mass remission led to criticism, and a PIL against it was filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy. This year, the government played it safe by fixing the norm as “those who have served 10 years after being sentenced to a fixed term”. However, the move is likely to be questioned since the convicts are serving sentences for involvement in an act of terrorism. More than 1,400 prisoners were released last year
Chennai: The DMK government released over 1,400 prisoners on September 15 last year to mark the commencement of Anna’s birth centenary celebrations. The mass remission led to some criticism and a petition challenging the release is pending in the Supreme Court. This time, the government has played it safe by fixing the norm as “those who have served 10 years in prison after being sentenced to a fixed term”.
Stating that the decision was in conformity with law and was in exercise of the government’s prerogative, a senior official said this time the benefit had been extended to convicts sentenced for fixed terms rather than the lifers. Article 161of the Constitution empowers the governor to grant pardon, commutation or remission of sentence to any prisoner. Officials also pointed out that all prisoners were entitled to remission of 48 days for every year served on grounds of good conduct.
Jurists pointed out that while the power of the state to grant remission was absolute, while exercising the power the government must take into account all relevant factors, such as the antecedents of the convict and the impact of his release on society. “If any extraneous considerations are brought to the courts’ notice, it can be stalled,” said a senior jurist. Interestingly, both Hindu and Muslim outfits have made a pitch for grant of pardon to convicts belong to their respective communities in the recent past. State BJP president L Ganesan even called on chief minister M Karunanidhi a fortnight ago, seeking the release of three persons owing allegiance to Hindu outfits. Muslim outfits and human rights organizations were arguing the cause of scores of Muslim prisoners lodged in prison following the 1998 Coimbatore blasts cases.
source
only god can save us from this netas:2guns: