A 100-year-old man was acquitted in a murder case after 42 years, having been sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984.:The High Court acquitted 100-year-old Dhani Ram in a 1982 murder case after 42 years. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984.

News Topical, Digital Desk : The Allahabad High Court has acquitted a nearly 100-year-old man of life imprisonment, 42 years after his conviction in a murder case. The court held that the length of the appeal and his advanced age were factors in granting relief.

This incident took place in Hamirpur in the year 1982 and after the trial, the Sessions Court of Hamirpur sentenced the appellant Dhani Ram to life imprisonment in 1984.

The accused's concerns of four decades cannot be ignored: Court

The bench of Justice Chandradhari Singh and Justice Sanjiv Kumar, while accepting Dhani Ram's appeal, said that the anxiety, uncertainty and social consequences faced by the accused during the last several decades cannot be ignored.

The bench ruled that since appellant Dhani Ram was on bail, his bail would be considered cancelled. The court made this order because the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

In 1982, two brothers clashed with Dhani Ram.

According to the facts of this case, on August 9, 1982, the complainant and his brother, Gunuwa (the deceased), were returning home. On the way, they encountered Maiku, who was armed with a gun. Maiku was accompanied by Satti Deen and Dhani Ram. Satti Deen was armed with a sickle, while Dhani Ram was armed with an axe.

Satti Deen and Dhani Ram incited Maiku to kill Gunuwa because Gunuwa had once confiscated his pistol and taken away six bighas of his land. Driven by an old rivalry, Maiku shot Gunuwa, killing him on the spot.

Hearing the gunshot, four people rushed to the scene and attempted to intervene. However, the accused fled the scene. This incident occurred in Hamirpur district.

One accused absconded, another died, only Dhani Ram was left.

Subsequently, in July 1984, the Additional Sessions Judge of Hamirpur convicted Satti Din and Dhani Ram of murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. However, Dhani Ram was released on bail in 1984.

The main accused, Maiku, was absconding, while Satti Deen died while his appeal was pending. Thus, only Dhani Ram's case remained pending in the High Court.

The lawyer's appeal is that the accused is 100 years old, so release him now.

The appellant's lawyer argued that his client was nearly 100 years old and that his role was merely that of an instigator. The main accused, Maiku, was never arrested by the police.