West Bengal moves Supreme Court against early release of 1993 Bowbazar blast convict
The West Bengal government has petitioned the Supreme Court to block the early release of Rashid Khan, a convict in the 1993 Bowbazar blast. The state argues the severity of the crime warrants continued incarceration despite the convict's age and health.
Why it matters
This case highlights the ongoing legal tension between judicial leniency for elderly prisoners and the state's interest in punitive justice for terror-related offenses.
The West Bengal government on Thursday (June 18, 2026) approached the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court order directing the release of Rashid Khan, who is serving a life sentence in the 1993 Bowbazar blast case that left 69 people dead in Kolkata. The State sought urgent intervention from the apex court to prevent his release.
The article presents the arguments of both the state government and the convict's legal team neutrally.
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