Man ‘serving extra 7yrs in jail’

Alauddin Gazi of Shariatpur's Gosairhat upazila has been behind bars "illegally for more than seven years after he finished serving his life-term in prison in a murder case".

This was claimed in a writ petition filed with the High Court by Supreme Court lawyer Bivuti Tarofder yesterday.

According to the lawyer, Alauddin could not move an appeal with the higher court challenging the trail court's verdict against him due to financial constraints when 14 other convicted in the case were acquitted after their appeals.

In the petition, Bivuti requested the HC to order the authorities concerned to produce Alauddin before it and issue a rule asking them to explain why keeping him in jail should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury fixed June 1 for holding a hearing on the petition.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Bivuti said Alauddin, who is now in Barishal jail, was reportedly arrested on January 27, 1993, in connection with a case filed over the killing of one Selim Miah Dhali on January 25 that year.

The district and sessions judge's court of Shariatpur on January 12, 2001, sentenced 15, including Alauddin, out of total 26 accused, to life imprisonment.

All the convicts except Alauddin moved appeals with the High Court challenging the lower court's judgment and were freed by the HC, the lawyer said.

Bivuti said as per the Supreme Court's Appellate Division guideline, life imprisonment means 30 years in jail and the period is reduced to 22 and a half years after a convict gets remission for seven and a half years.

Alauddin's jail term expired more than seven years ago as he was supposed to get a deduction of his sentence from his custodial period which he served during trial, the lawyer added.

The jail authorities have kept Alauddin in jail for this additional period illegally, he argued.

Replying to a question, Bivuti said he did not contact the family of Alauddin and the jail authorities over the issue.

Ratna Ray, senior jail super of Barishal jail, said she was not aware of any convict not getting released from jail after serving his his time.

"I can say in details about this issue only after examining the relevant papers," she told The Daily Star.