Spent over 14 years in custody, SC grants bail to convict of murder case

New Delhi [India], March 1 (ANI): The Supreme Court has granted bail to one accused observing that his appeal is pending before the Allahabad High Court since 2012 and he has already undergone 14 years and 3 months of custody.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana granted bail to one Ritu Pal after "taking into consideration the fact that the petitioner has already undergone 14 years and 3 months of actual custody and about 17 years of total custody with remission."
The Court also noted that the co-accused have already been released on bail and the bail application of the petitioner is pending consideration before the High Court since 2012 and said, "We deem it to be fit case to grant him bail. The petitioner is, accordingly, directed to be enlarged on bail on such terms and conditions as the trial court may deem appropriate to impose upon him."
Accused Ritu Pal was represented by advocate Rishi Malhotra.
The petitioner lawyer Rishi Malhotra said that the petition demonstrate "a very glaring fact and very sorry state of affairs" in the Allahabad High Court wherein the petitioner though stand convicted by the Trial Court under section 302 read with section 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on January 14, 2008 for an incident which had occurred in 2004, his application seeking suspension of sentence (bail) before the Allahabad High Court remains pending to be decided since 2012.
Advocate Malhotra said that the petitioner continues to remain in judicial custody till date and has already undergone 14 years and 3 months of actual custody and 17 years and 3 months of total custody with remissions as on November 11, 2021.
Moreover, the co-accused persons have been released on bail pending his appeal before the High Court vide its order dated March 28, 2014 whereas the second bail application of the petitioner remains pending before the High Court since 2012.
Ritu Pal was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Baghpat Court in Uttar Pradesh on January 14 2008. He was facing charges under murder for killing a man in February 2014 in Baghpat district.
He had filed an appeal in Allahabad High Court challenging the trial Court order. (ANI)