The Supreme Court of India has taken a humanitarian stance in the case of Habib Ahmed Khan, a 96-year-old convict serving a life sentence in connection with the 1993 train blast case in Rajasthan. 

The apex court has leaned towards favoring Khan's release, highlighting concerns over his deteriorating health and advanced age, stating that his continued incarceration is akin to capital punishment.

Khan, who has been in jail for an astonishing 27 years, has approached the Supreme Court seeking permanent parole due to his poor health condition. The bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, urged the Rajasthan government to review Khan's case through a lens of human rights, emphasizing that his ongoing imprisonment serves little purpose given his age and medical condition.

The bench, upon reviewing Khan's medical reports, expressed deep concern over his state, noting that at 96 years old, Khan is essentially "counting his days." They emphasized that the law should not be insensitive to his plight and that his continued incarceration, without the possibility of parole or remission, would be unduly harsh.

Khan's legal journey dates back to 1994 when he was arrested in connection with a series of train blasts in 1993. He was subsequently convicted in 2004 under the stringent Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), along with four others. Despite his age and health challenges, his conviction and life sentence were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2016.

However, recognizing the extraordinary circumstances of Khan's age and health, the Rajasthan High Court granted him parole three times in the past. The first instance was in August 2018 for 20 days, acknowledging his advanced age. Subsequently, he was granted parole in 2020 for 20 days amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, and then again in February 2021, with the Supreme Court extending this parole until the recent developments.

The matter has been listed for further hearing after two weeks.