A grandmother who arranged the murder of her daughter-in-law in a so-called honor killing has been released in India – despite Justice Minister Dominic Raab’s attempt to keep her in prison.
Bachchan Kaur Athol, now 86, was jailed in 2007 for ordering the murder of 27-year-old Surjeet Atwal after learning she was having an affair and wanted a divorce from her son.
Atwal, then 70, was jailed with her son Sukhdav for ordering the murder of Surjit, of Hayes, in west London, who went missing during a trip to India in 1998.
MailOnline revealed in June last year that the parole board had recommended that Atwal, who has poor health and suffers from dementia, be released on licence.
A month later, he told us how the parole board’s decision was challenged by the Minister of Justice, who argued that the panel’s decision placed inappropriate weight on “health factors” and “failed to adequately consider evidence of risk.”
Bachchan Kaur Atwal, now 86 (pictured in 2007), was jailed in 2007 for ordering the murder of 27-year-old Surjeet Atwal after learning she was having an affair and wanted a divorce from her son.
Surjeet Kaur Athol’s daughter-in-law was seen at a wedding in India shortly before her disappearance in 2007
The killer and Surjit were seen at a wedding in India shortly before the daughter-in-law’s disappearance in 2007
Raab objected that the panel “gave disproportionate weight” to protective factors around Atwal’s age and health.
He also said it failed to “consider not to disclose information about the victims”.
Despite the appeal, the parole board rejected Mr Raab’s arguments.
MailOnline can reveal that Atwal was released from prison in August last year and is believed to be cared for by the family under certain restrictions.
Atwal and his son Sukhdev Atwal, then 43, were sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of honor killing in the murder of Surjeet.
At the time, Athowal, 70, was one of the oldest in the country to be jailed for murder when she was convicted in 2007.
Surjeet disappeared after traveling with her mother-in-law from the UK to India for a family wedding in December 1998.
The young bride—who had been forcibly married to Sukhdav at the age of 16—was subsequently murdered but her body was never found.
MailOnline revealed in June last year that the parole board had recommended that Atwal, who has poor health and suffers from dementia, be released on licence.
Atwal and her son Sukhdav Atwal (pictured), then 43, were sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of honor killing in Surjit’s murder.
Athol and her family treated Surjeet like a slave and plotted to kill her over fears that she was too rebellious and tarnish the family name.
Mum-of-two Surjit lived with the family in Hayes, west London and is said to have suffered abuse at home.
Sukhdave took out a £100,000 insurance policy on his wife the day she left for India – but it didn’t pay.
He later divorces Surjit in her absence, claiming that she abandoned him, and then marries someone else.
Prior to her release, the Minister of Justice said that Athowal was still a danger to society.
In May last year, she slapped her daughter during a prison visit and assaulted a prison staff member and another inmate on two separate occasions.
In Atholl’s appeal, the prison’s offenders manager gave evidence that she had not shown any aggressive cases prior to the onset of dementia.
The attacks were described as “low-level” because no one was hurt.
Medical examinations indicated that it was difficult to manage the elderly dementia in the same way as any other person suffering from dementia and nothing more.
