After 40 years on bail, Allahabad HC orders 82-year-old murder convict to jail
The Allahabad High Court has ordered an 82-year-old man to return to prison to complete a life sentence for a 1984 murder conviction. Despite the man having been on bail for nearly 40 years, the court ruled it lacked the constitutional authority to reduce his sentence.
Why it matters
This case underscores the complexities of the Indian judicial system regarding long-pending appeals and the limitations of high courts compared to the Supreme Court's special powers.
NEW DELHI: The Allahabad high court, on July 17, upheld the murder conviction of an 82-year-old man and told him to surrender and go back to prison to finish his life sentence, after finding no grounds to overturn the trial court's judgment or reduce his punishment. The court held that while sending him back to jail after nearly 40 years was troubling, it did not have the special powers the Supreme Court has under Article 142 of the Constitution to cut down his sentence.1984 murder case: What was the dispute?The case goes back to March 25, 1984, when Babu Lal allegedly attacked his brother, Ganga, with an iron tool used for digging field. The prosecution alleged that he came up from behind and hit his brother on the head three to four times. Ganga died on the spot.
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