Woman convicted of killing ex-lover’s nephew granted day parole

THE CANADIAN PRESS

KITCHENER, Ont. — A convicted child-killer who married another inmate and had three children while serving a life sentence in Ontario is being released to a halfway house.

Amina Chaudhary, 51, let out a gasp of relief when the two-person panel in Kitchener, Ont., handed down its decision to grant her day parole, her second chance to reintegrate society after decades behind bars.

Chaudhary was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 1982 slaying of her ex-lover’s eight-year-old nephew, but she continues to fight the conviction and the resulting deportation order.

Prosecutors argued she strangled Rajesh Gupta to get revenge on her ex, who was travelling to India for an arranged marriage to another woman.

She was released to a halfway house in 2005 and later allowed to spend most nights at home with her husband, a convicted murderer who was on full parole at the time.

But she was brought back into custody two years ago amid allegations she was involved in shady business and real estate deals.

In granting her parole today, the panel stressed the need for transparency about her relationships and finances and said she must continue to seek psychological counselling.

Chaudhary argued at the hearing she is better prepared to handle the pressures of life outside prison.

“I made some decisions while I was on release that… brought me back to prison,” she told members of the Parole Board of Canada.

She said she has made an effort since her return to understand her issues and where she went wrong so that she can avoid repeating her mistakes.

“I have to be open and honest,” she said.

13:24ET 29-08-12