The Supreme Court has granted bail to a man in Uttar Pradesh who was convicted in a 1983 murder case involving the killing of his younger brother. The court also issued notice on his plea challenging the Allahabad High Court judgment that upheld his conviction and life sentence earlier this year.
A Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Atul S. Chandurkar heard a special leave petition filed by Vijay Singh against the Allahabad High Court’s February 9 judgment affirming his conviction under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, representing the petitioner, mentioned that the incident took place on November 4, 1983, almost 43 years ago, and that the petitioner had been on bail throughout the proceedings except for a brief period as an undertrial prisoner.
The apex court, considering the submissions, ordered the trial court records to be summoned and directed digitized copies to be provided to both sides. The Bench led by Justice Mishra ordered the petitioner’s release on bail in connection with FIR No. 251 dated 04.11.1983, registered at Police Station Beconganj, District Kanpur, for the offense under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, subject to terms and conditions set by the Trial Court.
The Uttar Pradesh government, represented by advocate Yasharth Kant, acknowledged the notice, and the Supreme Court waived the formal issuance of notice. The case will be listed again after the trial court records are received. This development follows the apex court’s earlier decision on April 27, granting the petitioner eight weeks to surrender post the Allahabad High Court verdict, solely for facilitating the case’s listing before the appropriate Bench.
The Allahabad High Court had previously dismissed Singh’s criminal appeal and upheld the 1985 trial court judgment, sentencing him to life imprisonment for his brother Ajay Singh’s murder. In its February 9 ruling, the High Court canceled his bail bonds, directing him to surrender and serve the remaining sentence. Subsequently, on Singh’s modification application, the Allahabad High Court granted him 30 days to surrender.
