Prisoner and fugitive at the same time!

A report published by this paper on Saturday about Kamol Khan, who was arrested for double-murder in 2004, raises many troubling questions. Jail documents show him to be in jail for 12 years, while case documents state that he is a fugitive. The trial has been proceeding in absentia, even though according to jail authorities, the accused is still physically present in the jail.

Proceedings of the case only began in 2013, 11 years after the murder took place. Kamol, who is also accused in other cases, was produced in court when directed according to jail authorities. However, the double-murder case file states he is absconding since 2011.

A bigger question which this incident raises is inhumanity of prisoners languishing in jail without any conviction. Kamol's name came up when the Supreme Court Legal Aid Office submitted a report about 462 people in jail for more than 5 years awaiting disposal of their cases. When a petition was filed by the District Legal Aid Office to secure bail for Kamol due to the unwarranted delays, the court declared that the prisoner was absconding.

On top of the long delay in proceedings as the prosecution failed to produce witnesses, the bail petition was not granted due to the erroneous paperwork on some end. The legal aid office too failed to look further into the matter and clear the confusion. That different authorities are stating contradictory facts highlights the lack of coordination between them. The authorities must open an investigation to correct the paperwork and proceed on to the matter of dispensing with the case. 12 years in jail without conviction cannot be the norm.