SC Frees A Murder Convict Who Served More Than 29 Years In Jail [Read Order]

Allowing a plea of premature release, the Supreme Court has ordered the release of a murder convict who served more than 29 years in jail.

The bench comprising Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer allowed the writ petition filed by Ram Sewak who was convicted under Sections 302 and 394 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment by Hardoi court in 1982. His appeal before the high court was dismissed in the year 1990.

The bench noted that Ram has crossed the age of 60 years and as per the UP Rules, a person who has crossed 60 years of age and served 16 years of the sentence, without remission, is entitled to be considered for premature release. With remission, the total sentence undergone by him is 36 years.

Ordering his release, the bench said: “Having regard to the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, as emerging in the case of the petitioner, we are of the view that there is no point in directing further consideration by the State, since the petitioner otherwise satisfies the eligibility criterion for premature release.”