After Four-Decade Delay, Allahabad High Court Acquits 100-Year-Old Man In 1982 Murder Case

Highlighting the consequences of prolonged judicial delays, the Allahabad High Court has acquitted a 100-year-old man in a murder case that dates back to 1982. The court granted him the benefit of the doubt, noting that his appeal against conviction had remained pending for more than four decades.

A division bench comprising Justices Chandradhari Singh and Sanjeev Kumar overturned the conviction of Dhaniram, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court in Hamirpur in 1984. His appeal was filed soon after but was not decided for over 40 years, during which time he remained on bail.

The case related to the killing of a man named Gunwa on August 9, 1982, allegedly arising out of a land dispute. The prosecution claimed that the fatal shot was fired by the main accused, Maiku, while Dhaniram and another co-accused, Sattidin, were accused of provoking the attack and were convicted for murder with common intention.

Both Dhaniram and Sattidin had challenged the trial court’s verdict before the High Court. However, during the long pendency of the appeal, Sattidin passed away, leaving Dhaniram as the only surviving appellant. The court also noted that the alleged main shooter, Maiku, was never arrested.

In its judgment, the High Court observed that the extraordinary delay in hearing the appeal, the advanced age of the accused, and shortcomings in the prosecution’s case were factors that could not be ignored. Taking these aspects into account, the bench extended the benefit of the doubt to Dhaniram.

The court set aside his conviction, acquitted him of all charges, and directed that his bail bonds be discharged. The ruling has once again drawn attention to the issue of long-pending criminal cases and the far-reaching impact of delays on the justice delivery system.