SC orders MP to pay Rs 25 lakh to man jailed 5 yrs beyond sentence
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Madhya Pradesh government to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation to Sohan Singh alias Bablu, who spent nearly five additional years in prison despite having served his full sentence.
The case dates back to 2004, when Singh was tried by the Sessions Judge in Khurai, District Sagar, on charges under Sections 376 (rape), 450 (house-trespass), and 506-B (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2,000.
Singh challenged the conviction before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. In October 2007, the High Court partly allowed his appeal, reducing the life sentence to seven years and directing that he “shall remain in jail to serve the remaining part of his jail sentence.”
Despite this, Singh remained in prison for an additional 4.7 years and was only released on bail after completing his full term.
When the case reached the Supreme Court, a bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan expressed shock at the “serious lapse.” The bench observed that although the High Court had reduced his sentence, Singh was released only on June 6, 2025, highlighting a violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The apex court, after reviewing the state government’s explanation of the extra incarceration, ruled that Singh’s illegal detention warranted compensation and directed the Madhya Pradesh government to pay him Rs 25 lakh.
Additionally, the court asked the Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority to identify other prisoners who might have been wrongfully detained beyond their lawful sentences.
With IANS inputs
