Proposal for ‘top terror’ Joseph release under scrutiny

Jail authorities take ‘good behaviour’ into consideration

The home ministry is likely to take a decision next week on releasing Tofael Ahmed alias Joseph, one of the top criminals of the country in 1990’s who is supposed to serve jail terms until April 2038, on ground of good behaviour, the ministry and jail sources said. 

A jail department proposal for releasing Joseph, who was sentenced to death and later it was commuted to life-term imprisonment, has been included as an agenda for the meeting of a home ministry committee slated for July 10.

In June last year Joseph’s mother also appealed for his sentence to be dropped and the law ministry backed her appeal, sources said.

The jail department subsequently made a proposal for his release following Clause 569 of the Jail Code that has the provision for remitting part of a prisoner’s sentence for good conduct or for special services rendered in jail.  

The home ministry received the proposal on April 23, the sources said.

“We've included the proposal as the agenda for the meeting of a home ministry committee to be held on July 10 for considering the approval. It will be headed by an additional secretary of the ministry,” a home ministry official told The Independent recently. 

“Already, the prisons department has sent a list of 303 prisoners who have served 21 years or more in jail and exhibited good behaviour. The list will be placed at the meeting,” he added.

“The home ministry committee has already recommended the release of nine convicted prisoners so far,” the official mentioned.

The proposal sent to the home ministry said: “The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court commuted the death penalty of Tofael Ahmed Joseph, an infamous criminal, to life imprisonment for the murder of Freedom Party (now defunct) leader Mostafizur Rahman on December 9, 2015. He also faces a 12-year prison sentence in an arms case.”

A three-member Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice SK Sinha, passed the order after a hearing on the appeal against Joseph’s death sentence given by the High Court.

Forty-two-year-old Joseph was sentenced to death on murder charges. Later, his sentence was commuted to a life term. His term will end on April 11, 2038. He was accused in at least 11 cases. 

Among the charges were those of extortion, murder and possession of illegal arms. Nine of the cases were subsequently dismissed due to lack of evidence.

He has already served 21 years in jail and is currently an inmate of Kashimpur jail in Gazipur, the sources added. 

Joseph was a Chhatra League leader of Mohammedpur in Dhaka city. He later joined notorious gangster Subrata Bain’s ‘Seven Star’ gang and went on to form the ‘Five Star Gang’ to exercise his power in the capital.

His brother Haris Ahmed was also a notorious criminal, who is reportedly hiding in India and still on the police’s most-wanted list.

Proposal for top terror Joseph release under scrutiny

Jail authorities take good behaviour into consideration

The home ministry is likely to take a decision next week on releasing Tofael Ahmed alias Joseph, one of the top criminals of the country in 1990s who is supposed to serve jail terms until April 2038, on ground of good behaviour, the ministry and jail sources said. A jail department proposal for releasing Joseph, who was sentenced to death and later it was commuted to life-term imprisonment, has been included as an agenda for the meeting of a home ministry committee slated for July 10. In June last year Josephs mother also appealed for his sentence to be dropped and the law ministry backed her appeal, sources said. The jail department subsequently made a proposal for his release following Clause 569 of the Jail Code that has the provision for remitting part of a prisoners sentence for good conduct or for special services rendered in jail. The home ministry received the proposal on April 23, the sources said. Weve included the proposal as the agenda for the meeting of a home ministry committee to be held on July 10 for considering the approval. It will be headed by an additional secretary of the ministry, a home ministry official told The Independent recently. Already, the prisons department has sent a list of 303 prisoners who have served 21 years or more in jail and exhibited good behaviour. The list will be placed at the meeting, he added. The home ministry committee has already recommended the release of nine convicted prisoners so far, the official mentioned. The proposal sent to the home ministry said: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court commuted the death penalty of Tofael Ahmed Joseph, an infamous criminal, to life imprisonment for the murder of Freedom Party (now defunct) leader Mostafizur Rahman on December 9, 2015. He also faces a 12-year prison sentence in an arms case. A three-member Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice SK Sinha, passed the order after a hearing on the appeal against Josephs death sentence given by the High Court. Forty-two-year-old Joseph was sentenced to death on murder charges. Later, his sentence was commuted to a life term. His term will end on April 11, 2038. He was accused in at least 11 cases. Among the charges were those of extortion, murder and possession of illegal arms. Nine of the cases were subsequently dismissed due to lack of evidence. He has already served 21 years in jail and is currently an inmate of Kashimpur jail in Gazipur, the sources added. Joseph was a Chhatra League leader of Mohammedpur in Dhaka city. He later joined notorious gangster Subrata Bains Seven Star gang and went on to form the Five Star Gang to exercise his power in the capital. His brother Haris Ahmed was also a notorious criminal, who is reportedly hiding in India and still on the polices most-wanted list.