Allahabad HC Acquits Nearly 100-Year-Old Man 40 Years After Bail In Murder Case

Last Updated:February 05, 2026, 13:13 IST

The case dates back to a 1982 murder linked to a land dispute.

File photo of the Allahabad High Court. (News18 Hindi File)

The Allahabad High Court has acquitted a nearly 100-year-old man accused in a murder case, more than four decades after he was released on bail, observing that the prolonged pendency of the appeal and the social consequences faced by the accused could not be ignored, PTI reported.

A division bench of Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Sanjiv Kumar said that over 40 years had passed since Dhami Ram challenged his life sentence, making his age and the delay significant factors in moulding relief, according to PTI. The bench noted that the anxiety, uncertainty and social repercussions suffered by Ram for decades warranted consideration while determining what justice demanded at this stage.

The case dates back to a 1982 murder linked to a land dispute, in which three persons — Maiku, Satti Din and Dhami Ram — were named as accused, PTI reported. While Maiku absconded, a sessions court in Hamirpur sentenced Satti Din and Ram to life imprisonment in 1984. Ram was granted bail the same year, while Satti Din died during the pendency of his appeal, leaving Ram as the sole surviving appellant.

Observing that Ram had remained on bail since 1984, the High Court ordered that his bail bond stand discharged and clarified that the acquittal was on merits, citing the prosecution’s failure to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. Ram’s counsel told the court that the appellant, now nearly 100 years old, had only exhorted the absconding accused to fire at the victim.

News india Allahabad HC Acquits Nearly 100-Year-Old Man 40 Years After Bail In Murder Case

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