Tamil Nadu: 3 Convicts of 1998 Coimbatore Bomb Blasts Released From Prison on Premature Basis

Tamil Nadu: A controversy has erupted due to the premature release of prisoners on account of the 115th birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu chief minister CN Annadurai. 

In the latest development, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has cleared the premature release of 12 prisoners lodged in various prisons across the state, out of which three (3) were convicted in the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blast case.

The TN government had forwarded the list of 49 prisoners to the Governor in August 2023.

After coming to power in 2021, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin had announced the release of up to 700 prisoners based on their good behaviour.

The state government constituted a six-member committee led by Justice N Authinathan to spot the convicts serving a life sentence who were eligible to be considered for premature release. 

The convicted prisoners were to be released under several categories including the elderly, those suffering from ailments, chronic diseases and mental health issues.

The list of 49 prisoners submitted to the Governor by the TN government contained the names of the convicts from the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts. 

The Governor had kept the decision of premature release of prisoners on hold for a long time. In February 2024, at least 12 out of the 49 prisoners were approved by the Governor for early release.

Which convicted prisoners of the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts have been released?

Out of the 12 convicted prisoners released, seven (7) were serving prison time for communal murders, with five (5) out of the seven (7) being Muslims and two (2) Hindus.

Out of the five (5) Muslim prisoners, three (3) were convicted in the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts. The names of the three (3) convicted prisoners of the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts case are Kundu Jahir, Shahul Hameed and Haroon Basha.

At least 58 people were killed in the 1998 bomb blast case in Coimbatore that shook the state.

While speaking to Republic, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Annamalai slammed the DMK government for appeasement politics.

“The DMK government is persistent on releasing the 16 convicts based on humanitarian grounds and good behaviour. We are not against releasing convicts serving life. But those convicted for terror activities cannot and should not be let out. The Tamil Nadu BJP will never allow this and we will continue to raise our voice against this act. In fact, the committee formed under the retired Justice is also an eye wash committee just to make everyone believe in their wrongdoings. This is nothing but appeasement politics that the DMK is trying to do and the timing of the Lok Sabha Elections only shows how all they want is votes,” he stated.

While Republic tried to speak to DMK, MLA Dr Ezhilan called it a political game of the BJP and nothing else. Ezhilan stated, “There are several procedures and protocols that require for a government to decide on releasing convicts who have been serving lifetime sentences. We have followed it all.”

“Similarly, the Union government is also responsible for ensuring that these protocols are adhered to. Which means they are also ok with this. Who is in the Centre? It’s the BJP. So, if the Tamil Nadu BJP is speaking against this then it is clear that they are trying to put colour on this issue and they want to play political games, which is unnecessary in this matter,” he added.