India: Presidential pardon for oldest death row inmate

Indian President Pratibha Patil

August 27, 2010: Indian President Pratibha Patil has commuted the death sentence of 75- year- old Shobhit Chamar — the oldest mercy petitioner alive.

For a person who has already spent 22 years of his life behind bars, this had been a long wait. His mercy petition was with the President’s office since 1998.

Chamar was jailed for killing six members of his upper- caste landlord’s family, including two children aged 10 years and eight years.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) had twice rejected his mercy plea in 2000 and 2005 respectively, recommending to the President’s secretariat that he be hanged.

But the MHA relented the third time around last month when the President again sent Chamar’s file back to home minister P. Chidambaram’s office on June 9, 2010, for reconsideration.

The MHA revised its opinion saying Chamar’s sentence may be commuted given his old age and sent a communication accordingly to the President on July 6, 2010.

Based on the ministry’s suggestion, the President has decided that Chamar will spend the rest of his life in jail without parole.

Sources: Mail Today, Hands Off cain, August 28, 2010

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