Demand to Free 22 Muslim Prisoners Sparks Fresh Political Controversy in Tamil Nadu (This image is generated by AI)
Chennai: The issue of granting premature release to long-term Muslim prisoners has once again come to the fore in Tamil Nadu, with ministers and leaders of allied parties urging the DMK-led government to consider their cases sympathetically. The development has triggered sharp criticism from political opponents, who have questioned whether those convicted in terror-related cases should be considered for early release.
Tamil Nadu Minority Welfare Minister S.M. Shahjahan, while speaking to media in Virudhunagar on June 13, said that the government was taking steps to ensure the permanent release of prisoners who had spent more than 25 years in jail. He noted that a proposed two-month parole for long-term prisoners had been delayed because of the election model code of conduct and would now be resumed. He also indicated that efforts were underway to facilitate their permanent release.
The issue received further momentum after VCK leader and Tamil Nadu Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu revealed that he had met Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmalkumar and submitted a memorandum seeking long-term parole and premature release for 22 Muslim prisoners who had spent several years in jail.
In a Facebook statement issued on May 25, Vanni Arasu said that many long-term prisoners, including Muslim inmates, had sought interim bail, extended leave and suspension of sentence before approaching courts individually. Referring to a Madras High Court judgment delivered last year, he said a division bench comprising Justices Satheesh Kumar and Jyothiraman had held that the state government possessed powers under Rule 40 to grant remission and exemption from punishment.
Vanni Arasu also cited the Tamil Nadu Prisons (Release on Furlough) Rules, 2026, issued on February 14, which provide parole benefits to prisoners who have spent more than ten years behind bars. According to him, the delegation requested the government to initially grant long-term parole and subsequently take steps for their premature release in accordance with the law. He added that Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmalkumar had assured that the matter would be examined at the departmental level before a decision was taken.
Later, Vanni Arasu disclosed in a post on X that he had met Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on June 16 and submitted a memorandum seeking the release of 22 Muslim prisoners lodged in different jails. Sharing photographs with family members of the inmates along with Makkala Jananayaga Katchi leader K.M. Sherif and Manitha Neya Jananayaga Katchi General Secretary Haroon Rashid, he wrote that years of efforts towards securing their release would eventually bear fruit.
The developments have invited criticism from the BJP. Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary Ashvathaman alleged that VCK MLA Vanni Arasu had himself been convicted in a murder case. Citing public election affidavits and court records, he claimed that Vanni Arasu, born Jayaraj, had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Principal Sessions Court, Srivilliputhur, in Case No. SC 155/1998 on July 14, 1999. BJP leaders and critics have demanded that the government examine these allegations and take appropriate action.
Meanwhile, M.H. Jawahirullah, president of the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) and an MLA, has consistently advocated the premature release of Muslim prisoners who have spent between 10 and 20 years in jail. Previous DMK governments had also passed resolutions recommending the release of several life convicts. However, the proposals reportedly faced hurdles owing to differences with former Governor R.N. Ravi.
As demands for the release of long-term prisoners gain momentum, the issue has emerged as a fresh flashpoint in Tamil Nadu politics, with supporters invoking humanitarian and legal grounds and critics questioning whether convicts in terror-related cases should be considered for such relief.
