SC orders MP govt to pay Rs 25 lakh to convict jailed over four years beyond sentence

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Madhya Pradesh government to pay Rs 25 lakh compensation to a convict who was over-incarcerated by four years and seven months despite completing his seven-year sentence. A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan, came down heavily on the State of Madhya Pradesh for its lapse before passing the order on Monday. The court was informed by lawyer Mahfooz Nazqi, who appeared for convict Sohan Singh, that Singh had spent an extra four years and seven months in jail even after completing his sentence in a rape case. He has spent 11 years and 7 months in jail, although he was on bail for some time. But his jail sentence was only 7 years, the lawyer told the SC. The top court granted compensation of Rs 25 lakh while also questioning the State's counsel for filing misleading affidavits in this matter. The court disposed the case with a direction to the Madhya Pradesh Legal Services Authority to identify other people in similar situations. The Supreme Court had recently on August 27 sought an explanation from the Madhya Pradesh government on the matter. In many instances while hearing cases, the top court stressed that convicts should be immediately released from jail after completing their sentences. The top court also noted in its order that despite the Madhya Pradesh Court's reduction in the jail sentence, the convict, Singh, continued to remain in prison until June 6, 2025. We would like to know how such a serious lapse occurred and why the petitioner remained in jail for more than eight years even after undergoing the entire sentence of seven years. We want the state (Madhya Pradesh) to offer appropriate explanation in this regard, said the two-judge bench of the top court, on August 22. Seeking an explanation from the Madhya Pradesh govt on the issue, the top court asked the state government to file a reply within two weeks and fixed the matter for further hearing on September 8. The top court observed that the convict, Singh, was tried by a sessions court in Khurai, District Sagar in Madhya Pradesh for rape, among other offences, under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). SIngh later challenged the conviction before the Madhya Pradesh HC, which partly allowed his appeal by reducing the jail sentence from life imprisonment to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.