Allahabad HC suspends sentence of 94-yr-old murder convict

The Allahabad High Court on Monday suspended the sentence of a 94-year-old man convicted by a Gorakhpur court in January this year in a case of murder committed 42 years ago.

The order by a two-judge bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Siddhartha Varmathe came amid the ongoing shutdown of the state judiciary in the wake of the country-wide lockdown to contain the coronavirus spread.

The bench passed the order on a plea by Gorakpur native Suryavansh of Sikari police station in the district challenging the additional sessions judge verdict, convicting the nonagenarian man in a crime committed on March 28, 1978.

The high court bench suspended Suyravansh's sentence and ordered his release on bail on a personal bond of Rs 5,000.

The Bench suspended the sentence of the convict considering his old age and said, "The crime occurred on March 28, 1978 and at that time, age of Suryavansh was 40 years. It is brought to our notice that Suryavansh is now 94 years old."

"Having considered this aspect of the matter, we are inclined to allow this application. Accordingly, the application is allowed. The sentence awarded to Suryavansh is suspended till the disposal of appeal," the bench said.

The court directed additional government advocate to ensure compliance of the order at the earliest and to file a compliance report within a week.