Supreme Court Stays Release Of 1993 Bowbazar Blast Convict Md Rashid Khan

The Supreme Court of India has stayed a Delhi High Court order that granted premature release to Md Rashid Khan, a life-term convict in the 1993 Kolkata Bowbazar blast case. A bench comprising Justice PK Mishra and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva issued the interim order following a petition by the State of West Bengal, which challenged the earlier judicial directive.

The 1993 Bowbazar blast, which occurred on March 16, 1993, resulted in 69 deaths and significant property destruction. While the Delhi High Court had previously relied on a reformative theory of punishment, citing the convict’s 33 years of incarceration and poor health, the Supreme Court noted the gravity of the offenses committed under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. The State argued that the Sentence Review Board had formally recommended against his release.

The Supreme Court emphasized that allowing the release would render the State’s appeal infructuous, effectively maintaining the current status of the prisoner. The legal proceedings will now focus on reviewing the High Court's application of reformative philosophy against the state's security and public interest arguments. The case, State of West Bengal v. Md. Rashid Khan, remains pending before the apex court.