Freeing criminal is general (9)

I believe the answer is:

releasing

'freeing' is the definition.
('release' can be a synonym of 'free')

'criminal is general' is the wordplay.
'criminal' indicates an anagram.
'is'+'general'='isgeneral'
'isgeneral' with letters rearranged gives 'RELEASING'.

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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