Times of India: Hyderabad:
Thursday, June 20, 2013.
Once bitten,
twice shy. With terror suspect Syed Maqbool's remission turning controversial
post the Dilsukhnagar blasts, the state government has refused to reveal any
information on the convict, who was serving life term at the Cherlapalli jail
before he was let off in 2009. Also, officials took refuge in 'rules' on
"invasion of privacy of the individual and larger public interest"
and they fear it may "impede the process of investigation". These
interesting details came to light in a Right to Information (RTI) application
filed by TOI.
After the
blast, investigators discovered that Maqbool had recced Dilsukhnagar and some
other hot spots in the city for terror elements to carry out their nefarious
designs.
Concealing
information about the basis on which the state government gave the
controversial remission to Maqbool, the home department officials have passed
the buck on to their prison counterparts by claiming that remission was given
based on the latter's recommendation. Ironically, documents with TOI, clearly
show that home officials overruled prison officials' warning. In fact, the
prison officials had warned the high-level committee, which finalized a list of
eligible convicts for remission, led by then principal secretary (Home) to
"review Maqbool's case thoroughly before considering his release".
In response
to the RTI petition seeking the file and file notings on which the then state
government took a final decision on granting remission to Maqbool, a convict in
a murder case, an officer of the rank of deputy secretary, home department,
refused to share any information, citing it will impede the process of
investigation or apprehension or prosecution of the offender. Maqbool was a
'convicted' prisoner and the process of investigation, apprehension and
prosecution was completed long time ago.
"In the
case of Maqbool, government granted remission as per the recommendation of the
director-general (prisons) and recommendation of the committee,'' the RTI reply
said.
To a query
about the file notings of the high-level committee, led by Ajay Mishra, then
principal secretary (Home), the official stated: "It would cause
unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual (Maqbool) and large
public interest and impede the process of investigation taken up by SIT, CID
and other agencies."
It appears
that Maqbool's name was not there in the first list of convicts (963) eligible
for remission prepared by the prison department. Strangely, within five days,
the prisons department sent a 'revised' list of 972, including Maqbool.
According to the GO issued for granting remission, Maqbool's name figured at
number 939 of 940 convicts set free.
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