“Absconding” convict

Omprakash Choudhari, a convict found guilty of the murder of Dr Jehangir Ferozeshah Vazifdar, an 82-year-old resident of Colaba, Bombay in October 1998, is allegedly missing from the Nasik Road Central Prison. The prison authorities have been making contradictory statements to the Bombay High Court and to the convict’s lawyer, reports Mum­bai Mirror (MM) of October 31, 2009. The Court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Chou­dhari and directed the jail superintendent to file an affidavit in an attempt to find out whether the prisoner is actually "absconding” or whether the authorities have been "illegally” extending his parole leave.

Dr Jehangir Vazifdar: bru­-tally murdered

Vazifdar, an eminent cardiologist, was stabbed to death, allegedly by two watchmen who stole his Rolex watch worth about two lakh rupees, some jewelry and cash. The victim had been stabbed seven times in the neck and chest. A blood stained knife and the uniforms of Choudhari and another watchman, Santosh Panday were found in a ditch by the police. Both suspects were arrested and in 2004 a sessions court convicted them, sentencing them to life imprisonment, MM states.

When in 2007 Choudhari asked to be tried under the Juvenile Justice Act, claiming that he was a minor when the crime was committed, the court directed the Criminal Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into the matter. The CBI court was informed that the accused was granted parole in April 2007 and has been absconding since the following month. In 2008 the special court issued a NBW against Choudhari, who remains untraceable. His counsel claims that he is not absconding but that the jail authorities have extended his parole.

The court has directed the jail authorities to submit an affidavit detailing whether Choudhari continues to be on sanctioned and extended parole, or whether he has been absconding since May 2007. The court has also sought to know why the jail authorities contacted, as late as August 2007, the superintendent of police of Pali district in Rajasthan to which Choudhari belongs, and then again in September 2008, MM reports.