After serving 25 years sentence in a Hyderabad jail for killing his senior on-duty, former constable Mohammed Abdul Qadeer was released as the State Government responded positively to numerous appeals and representations for commuting his life imprisonment.
A court had found Abdul Qadeer guilty of killing Assistant Commissioner of Police Sattaiah at Chhatrinaka police station of old city at the peak of communal riots in the old city of Hyderabad in 1990.
The killing of ACP Sattaiah, whom Abdul Qadeer charged with communal bias in dealing with the riots in which 200 people died, had created a major furore. The prosecution told the court that Abdul Qadeer had shot from his service weapon at the head of Sattaiah killing him on the spot.
Abdul Qadeer was one of the 251 prisoners whose sentences were remitted by the State Government. The governor ESl Narasimhan paved the way for their release by signing the orders.
A campaign for the release of Abdul Qadeer from jail had started soon after he had completed his 14 years of prison term but the family of Sattaiah and many others had opposed it on the ground that he had killed his senior on duty.
However in view of his failing health he was granted parole on many occasions like festival and wedding of his daughter.
One leg of Abdul Qadeer was also imputed as he was afflicted by diabetes.
Abdul Qadeer, who was accorded a warm welcome on release from prison by his relatives and well-wishers, thanked the TRS Government for granting him the release. "There was no reason for the Government to keep me in jail for such a long period. It was arbitrary. I should have been released after I had completed 14 years in jail", he said.
Abdul Qadeer met the MIM MlA Syed Ahmad Pasha Quadri and Editor of Urdu Daily Siasat who along with many others had campaigned for his release from jail. He also spoke over phone and thanked Justice Katju who had written many letters to the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for his release.