Gujarat HC refuses to direct govt to free Javed Khan

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court has refused to direct the state government to release Javed Khan, a former Abdul Latif gang member. He is the younger brother of one of the most wanted terrorists — Sharif Khan. Javed Khan is in jail in connection with the Radhika Gymkhana massacre. Nine persons were shot dead in that massacre in August 1992.
Javed Khan was convicted to life imprisonment for murder and under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA). He has spent 25 years in the Sabarmati central jail. He was granted a furlough for the first time in 2011.

After 25 years in jail, Javed Khan petitioned the high court to direct the jail authorities and the state government to undertake the process of granting remission and pre-mature release. He cited the state government’s policy of considering remission after a life convict spends 14 years in jail.

The high court said that the state government has not taken a decision to commute Javed Khan’s sentence or to remit his sentence as he is a TADA convict. “In such circumstances, it would not be appropriate for this court to interfere with such an administrative decision of the state government,” the high court said and cited its order in which it has held that granting remission and releasing a convict is entirely at the state government’s discretion.

Meanwhile, the high court on Monday granted 15-day furlough to another Latif gang member who too is facing grave charges, Musharaf Gorekhan Pathan’s release was ordered to enable him to make financial arrangements for his family. Pathan had 28 offences against him which included 11 kidnapping cases and murders.