Convicts’ freedom sought

Hyderabad: While Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt was given remission six months early from his sentence for an Arms Act violation, there are similar cases in the state in which political parties have been demanding freedom for convicted persons lodged in Telugu states. Gouru Venkat Reddy, who was involved in a double murder case in 1995, was convicted in 2002 and the Kurnool sessions court sentenced him and seven others to life imprisonment. Although, the High Court upheld the lower court’s verdict awarding life term in the same year, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction but reduced the sentence to 10 years.

After the Congress regained power in 2004, he was granted paroles and the Governor on August 11, 2015, granted remission of the sentence. Later, on the orders of Supreme Court, he was again lodged in jail in 2006. Syed Mujeeb who was convicted of killing Intelligence additional SP Krishna Prasad, was arrested again in an Arms case. Now, several political parties including the ruling TRS are demanding remission for Abdul Qadeer who was involved in the murder of ACP N. Satthaiah in 1990 during the riots in Hyderabad. Qadeer was apprehended on the spot and was booked under Section 302 of IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act.

Qadeer was convicted on December 31, 1992, and was awarded life imprisonment at the age of 29. He has been in jail for 25 years and the MIM party has been demanding that the government release him on remission on the age factor. Several parties are also demanding his release.

Speaking to DC Secunderabad advocate T. Venkata Ramana said that remission could be given based on the prisoner’s conduct and seriousness of the crime in which he was involved. “Governments consider whether the accused is a habitual offender or not apart from the seriousness of crimes. In Sanjay Dutt’s case, he was having a weapon but he might not have had an intention of committing an offence,” he said.