SC comes to rescue of 105-year-old murder convict, makes its 2024 bail order final

NEW DELHI: Convict Rasik Chandra Mondal, 105, can now live as a free man as the Supreme Court on Friday created final its earlier order granting bail to him in a 1988 murder case.

Key points

• In 2018, the Calcutta High Court dismissed Mondal's appeal challenging his conviction in the murder case.
• In 2020, Mondal, then 99 years old, moved a plea seeking premature release, citing his advanced age and age-related ailments.
• In May 2021, the apex court had issued notice to the West Bengal administration in the matter.

When the top court granted him bail, born in 1920 in West Bengal's Malda district, Mondal was convicted in 1994 at the age of 68 in the murder case and was in jail till November 29, 2024.

On Friday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana remarked that, having regard to the age of the petitioner, it was closing the case and waiving the remaining sentence, if any, in the matter.

Even if the life sentence is not over, he will not be taken back in custody, the CJI remarked and produced the interim bail order of 2024 absolute and final.

"As an interim order, we direct that the petitioner, Rasik Chandra Mondal, will be released on interim bail/parole during the pendency of the present writ petition, on terms and conditions to be fixed by the trial court, " the court had remarked earlier. Mondal had age-related health problems, it had observed.

In 2018, the Calcutta High Court dismissed Mondal's appeal challenging his conviction in the murder case. Afterwards, he moved the apex court. It additionally dismissed his plea.

Taken together, the developments around SC comes to rescue of 105-year-old murder convict, makes its 2024 bail point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.