The Calcutta High Court has granted interim bail to Ishtiaq Ahamad, who has been in custody for over 11 years on charges of murdering his 2 minor stepdaughters.
The court’s decision was prompted by significant delays in the completion of the trial.
The tragic case dates back to January 2012, when the bodies of the two girls, aged 9 and 15, were discovered near Dhakuria and Park Circus railway stations, approximately 5 km apart. Following an investigation, the Kolkata Police arrested Ahamad in 2013.
Ahamad, the stepfather of the victims from his wife’s previous marriage, has been in custody since his arrest. His counsel petitioned the high court for bail, citing the prolonged duration of his incarceration without a resolution.
On May 7, the state government’s counsel indicated that the remaining prosecution witnesses would be examined within one month.
However, during the hearing on September 24, the division bench, led by Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray, noted that two prosecution witnesses remained unexamined and expressed uncertainty regarding the trial’s conclusion.
Citing “inordinate and unexplained delay” in the trial process, the bench granted Ahamad interim bail. The court ordered his release upon furnishing a bond of Rs 10,000, with two sureties of equal amount, one of whom must be local.
Conditions of the interim bail include:
1. Ahamad must not leave the jurisdiction of the Lake police station in Kolkata.
2. He is required to report to the officer-in-charge of the police station twice a week until further notice.
3. He must appear before the trial court on every hearing date until further orders.
4. He is prohibited from intimidating witnesses or tampering with evidence in any manner.
The court stipulated that the interim bail would remain in effect until the end of November 2024 or until further orders, whichever comes first. The matter is scheduled for a follow-up hearing on November 20, 2024.
