EXCLUSIVE: Grandmother, 86, who arranged for her daughter-in-law, 27, to be lured to India and murdered in honour killing is FREED from jail despite Dominic Raab bid to keep her caged

• Bachan Kaur Athwal, now 86, was jailed in 2007 for murdering Surjit Athwal 
• Read more:  Mother who murdered her 42-day old baby could be freed from jail

A grandmother who arranged for her daughter-in-law to be murdered in a so-called honour killing in India has been freed from jail – despite a bid by Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to keep her locked up.

Bachan Kaur Athwal, now 86, was jailed in 2007 for ordering the murder of 27-year-old Surjit Athwal after learning she was having an affair and wanted to divorce her son.

Athwal, then 70, was jailed alongside her son Sukhdave for ordering the murder of Surjit, from 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 Athwal, who is in poor health and suffers from dementia, should be released on licence.

A month later, we told how the Parole Board decision had been challenged by the Justice Secretary, who argued the panel’s decision placed inappropriate weight on ‘health factors’ and ‘failed to consider appropriately risk-related evidence’.

Bachan Kaur Athwal, now 86, (pictured in 2007) was jailed in 2007 for ordering the murder of 27-year-old Surjit Athwal after learning she was having an affair and wanted to divorce her son

Athwal’s daughter-in-law Surjit Kaur Athwal seen at a wedding in India shortly before she disappeared in 2007

The murderer and Surjit seen at a wedding in India shortly before the daughter-in-law disappeared in 2007

Raab contested that the panel ‘gave disproportionate weight’ to protective factors around Athwal’s age and health.

He also argued it failed ‘to consider the non-disclosure of information about victims’.

Despite the appeal, the Parole Board rejected Mr Raab’s arguments.

MailOnline can reveal that Athwal was released from prison in August last year and is believed to be looked after by family under certain restrictions.

Athwal and son Sukhdave Athwal, then aged 43, were sentenced to life after being found guilty of the honour killing of Surjit

At the time, Athwal, at the age of 70, was one of the oldest people in the country to be jailed for murder when she was convicted in 2007.

Surjit disappeared after travelling with her mother-in-law from the UK to India for a family wedding in December 1998.

The young bride – who was forcibly wed to Sukhdave at 16 – was subsequently murdered but her body has never been found.

MailOnline revealed in June last year that the Parole Board had recommended that Athwal, who is in poor health and suffers from dementia, should be released on licence

Athwal and her son Sukhdave Athwal (pictured), then aged 43, were sentenced to life after being found guilty of the honour killing of Surjit

Athwal and family treated Surjit like a slave and plotted to kill her over fears she was too rebellious and tarnishing the family name.

Mum-of-two Surjit lived with the family in Hayes, West London and is said to have suffered abuse in the home.

Sukhdave took out a £100,000 insurance policy on his wife the day she left for India – but it did not pay out.

He later divorced Surjit in her absence, claiming she deserted him, and then married someone else.

Before her release, the Justice Secretary argued that Athwal still posed a risk to society.

In May last year, she slapped her daughter during a prison visit and assaulted a member of prison staff and another inmate on two separate occasions.

In Athwal’s appeal, the Prison Offender Manager gave evidence that before the onset of dementia she had shown no instances of aggression.

The assaults were described as ‘low level’ because nobody was injured.

Medical tests suggested elderly Athwal ‘would be difficult to manage in exactly the same way as any other person suffering from dementia and no more’.

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