Dhaka: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday said President Abdul Hamid has pardoned Tofayel Ahmed Joseph, a ‘top terror’ of the 90s, who had been serving life imprisonment in a murder case.

‘The President has granted the mercy petition filed by Joseph. He was ill. He was granted clemency for his treatment,’ the minister said while talking to reporters at his office, reports the UNB.

Asked whether he was aware that Joseph has already left the country after his release from jail, the minister parried the question, saying, ‘He was sentenced to life imprisonment. He had already served 20 years and filed the mercy petition following the due process.’

 In reply to another query that Joseph fled to India, he made a counter question, saying, ‘Did you see him going to India? He cited his serious illness in the mercy petition and sought clemency for the rest one year and three months of imprisonment. The President has probably granted the mercy petition.’

Joseph was released from Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj on Sunday following the presidential mercy, said its jailer Mahbub Alam.

Earlier on December 9, 2015, the Appellate Division commuted Joseph’s death penalty to life imprisonment in the Freedom Party (now-defunct) leader Mostafizur Rahman murder case.

The apex court had also acquitted another accused of the case, Kabil Sarkar, after granting his petition.

On May 7, 1996 Freedom Party leader of city’s Mohammadpur area Mostafizur Rahman was shot dead by some unknown assailants. Victim’s wife Rashida Parvin filed a case the following day.

After trial, the Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka sentenced Joseph and another accused Masud Jomader to death and Kabil to life imprisonment on April 25, 2004.

The High Court on September 20, 2007 upheld the death penalty of Joseph and life imprisonment of Kabil and acquitted Masud of the charges following petitions filed by the convicts. Later, Joseph and Kabil filed appeal against the High Court verdict.