Assam: Convicts in Tezpur jail held beyond sentence; RTI activist seeks Governor’s intervention

Guwahati: At least six convicts lodged in Tezpur Central Jail in Assam’s Sonitpur district continue to remain behind bars even after completing their sentences more than two years ago.

The issue came to light through an RTI activist, Dilip Nath, who wrote to Assam Governor Lakshman Acharya seeking urgent intervention.

Nath, who has been lodged in Tezpur Central Jail since July 17 in connection with a criminal case, named several convicts, including Dipak Tirkey, Manash Dutta, Laljit Chauhan, and Dipom Hazarika, who remain incarcerated despite having served their full jail terms.

The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has also registered a case (239/2025) based on a petition filed by the convicts.

“This is a violation of human rights. The jail authority has acted against norms,” Nath alleged in his letter.

The incident has revived memories of the shocking case of Machang Lalung, an undertrial prisoner who was arrested in 1951 under Section 326 of the Indian Penal Code and spent nearly 50 years in Guwahati jail without trial. He was released only in 2005.

When contacted, a senior advocate of the Gauhati High Court clarified: “As a general rule, no person can be kept in jail once their sentence has expired. However, there are exceptions in cases like life imprisonment, where convicts may not be eligible for release until certain conditions are met, or under detention related to mental health laws. Legal procedures such as appeals or parole considerations can also delay release.”

The matter now awaits further action from the Governor’s office and the Human Rights Commission.