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Why you should know Dr Khaleel Chishti
Dr Khaleel Chishty is a Pakistani citizen who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2011 for killing a man after a fight in the Indian town of Ajmer in 1992. The trial lasted 18-years during which time he was kept under house arrest in his ancestral home in Ajmer.
Contents
- Why you should know Dr Khaleel Chishti
- Dr Khaleel Chishty set to be released today NewsX
- Background
- Arrest and prosecution
- Clemency appeals
- Reference to the Sarabjit Singh case
- Release on bail
- Release
- References
In April 2012, Pakistan President Zardari had discussed his release with Indian Prime Minister Singh over lunch. In May 2012, the Indian Supreme court granted him bail on humanitarian grounds. In May 2012 he was allowed to visit his home in Karachi, Pakistan on the condition of returning to attend his next court hearing on 20 November 2012. On his return to India, he was freed by the Indian Supreme Court which dropped the murder charges against him.
Dr. Khaleel Chishty set to be released today - NewsX
Background
Dr Chisty is a Professor of virology in Karachi Medical College and also holds a PhD from Edinburgh University.
Arrest and prosecution
In 1992, Dr Chisty visited Ajmer to see his ailing mother. He was involved in a family feud which resulted in a man being murdered in the same year. He was arrested and charged with the murder though he protested his innocence all along. During the lengthy trial he remained under house arrest at his ancestral home in Ajmer.
In January 2011 he was finally convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in Ajmer jail. The trial lasted an unusual 18 long years.
Clemency appeals
On 17 June 2011, Justice Markandey Katju made a personal appeal to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to release Chisty on humanitarian grounds. BJP, the main Indian opposition party expressed its dismay at a judge writing to the Prime Minister for securing the release of a Pakistani prisoner in his individual capacity.
In April 2012, Pakistan President Zardari appealed to Indian Prime Minister Singh to release him on humanitarian grounds and allow him to return to Pakistan.
Reference to the Sarabjit Singh case
In November 2012 ex-justice Katju wrote to the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan requesting clemency for Sarabjit Singh on similar grounds. Sarabjit Singh is an Indian citizen who has also spent the last 22 years in Pakistani jail under conviction of terrorism. His family and supporters have maintained Sarabjit's innocence and claim that the arrest was on the grounds of mistaken identity.
Release on bail
At the intervention of the Indian Prime Minister Dr Singh, the Indian supreme court granted Chisty bail on humanitarian grounds in April 2012. He was subsequently also allowed to visit Pakistan until 1 November 2012 on a security deposit of 500,000 Indian Rupees.
Release
On his return from bail in Pakistan, Dr. Chishty was freed by the Indian Supreme Court in December 2012 and allowed to return to Pakistan.