Supreme Court advocates for the release of 96-year-old lifelong prisoner in terror case, compares ongoing incarceration to capital punishment

The Supreme Court on Monday favoured remission to an ailing 96-year-old convict who is serving life term in the 1993 train blast case in Rajasthan and is currently on parole, saying continued incarceration is like capital punishment.Habib Ahmed Khan had moved the top court seeking permanent parole given his deteriorating health condition and age, and a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Rajasthan government to consider his case from the human rights angle.The counsel for Khan said he has been in jail for over 27 years after which he was granted parole thrice.

The Supreme Court on Monday favoured remission to an ailing 96-year-old convict who is serving life term in the 1993 train blast case in Rajasthan and is currently on parole, saying continued incarceration is ''like capital punishment''.

Habib Ahmed Khan had moved the top court seeking permanent parole given his deteriorating health condition and age, and a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Rajasthan government to consider his case from the human rights angle.

The counsel for Khan said he has been in jail for over 27 years after which he was granted parole thrice. The third parole is being now extended by this court from time to time.

The bench, which perused the medical reports of Khan, said at this juncture what purpose will be served by his incarceration.

''Just see his medical report, where will he go. It's the worst. Yes, he was convicted for a terror offence but he was not awarded capital punishment. Continued incarceration for him is like capital punishment,'' the bench told Additional Solicitor General Vikramjeet Banerjee, appearing for the Rajasthan government.

The bench asked Banerjee to consider his remission and see the case from a human rights angle.

The ASG submitted that for remission, the convict has to make an application to the state government but in the instant case, his conviction for terror offence would be a hindrance.

Then what is Article 21 in the Constitution for, Justice Oka told the ASG, adding that Khan can neither walk nor see properly according to his medical reports.

Justice Bhuyan said that at 96, Khan is just counting his days and the law cannot be so insensitive.

Banerjee said, ''This court has all the powers in the world and if it were to use the power under Article 142 of the Constitution for remission, then I would urge not to do so. Because remission can only be granted by the state government.'' Justice Oka said, ''Not all the powers in the world but all the powers under the Constitution. Ultimately, there has to be some balance.'' The bench asked Banerjee to seek instruction on whether Khan could be granted remission or permanent parole and listed the matter after two weeks.

Khan was arrested in 1994 in connection with a series of train blasts in 1993 and was convicted in 2004 by the Ajmer trial court along with 14 others under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA).

Khan's conviction and life sentence were upheld by the top court in 2016.

He was lodged in Jaipur jail before being granted parole in 2021 by the top court.

In August 2018, the Rajasthan High Court granted Khan parole for the first time for 20 days while taking into consideration his age and the fact that a co-accused in the same case Asfaq Khan was granted parole.

Khan was again granted parole for 20 days in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He was granted third parole in February 2021 by the high court for three weeks, which is being extended by the Supreme Court till date, due to his deteriorating health.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)