The Supreme Court on Friday waived the remaining sentence of an over 105-year-old life convict from West Bengal , considering his advanced age and failing health.
1988 murder case led to life sentence, decades-long legal battle
On Friday, the court ordered his release. Mondal was accused in a murder case along with his three sons and two others in a case registered at Malda district in West Bengal in November 1988. The case went to trial and a district court in Malda held him guilty in 1994 and sentenced him to life term. He moved the Calcutta HC which upheld the conviction and punishment in 2018. The matter then came to the SC which dismissed his appeal in March 2019. In 2020, Mondal approached the top court, seeking premature release. By then he was already 99 years old. In November 2024, the top court granted him interim bail on his plea that he was suffering from multiple ailments.
Realising the precarious nature of the case where the accused may or may not survive for long, the bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana , decided to allow his premature release. In July this year, the court granted four weeks to the state to take instructions with regard to his health and his ability to pursue the matter.
The court said, “Having regard to the age of the petitioner, we close the case and waive the remaining sentence, if any.
