‘State to decide on convict’s early release’

Kolkata: In the 2003 murder of two traders by Amjad, popularly known as the ‘butcher of Ghaziabad', and his accomplice outside a central Kolkata hotel, the Calcutta HC held that the "final" decision on his premature release lies with the state, and directed that it be considered within a month.The State Sentence Review Board approved Amjad's early release, but the judicial dept in 2024 denied the release on the opinion of the chief judge of the City Sessions Court, which stated that Amjad "deserves no mercy" and, if he is released, "it would not only pose a threat to society but also encourage the convict to commit such crime again." Justice Om Narayan Rai on Wednesday stated that the chief judge did not consider whether the convict lost the potential to commit crime, whether it would be fruitful to keep him confined any longer, and the socio-economic condition of his family. — Srishti Lakhotia