Deduct custody period from final punishment: SC

The appellate division has ordered to deduct the custody period of any prisoner from the jail term awarded in the trial. The jail term will be counted since the convict was arrested.

A virtual appellate division bench led by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order on Monday (November 1).

The court urged the home ministry to take necessary moves to implement the directives.

Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Debnath said, “The high court commuted the lower court punishment of a death row convict, Younus Ali, to life term. But, he already passed 26 years in jail. According to article 35 (a) of the code of criminal procedure, the time a convict passed in custody will be deducted from the final judgment. But, it was not mentioned in the verdict of Yunus Ali’s case.”

The court directed to release Younus Ali if the custody period already exceeds the jail term he was awarded.