Man freed after 17 years in jail after juvenile board concludes he was minor at time of offence

New Delhi, April 14

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The Supreme Court has freed a man from Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh who spent 17 years in jail in a murder case after the Juvenile Justice Board concluded he was a minor at the time of commission of the offence.

A Bench led by Justice AM Khanwilkar said the mandatory three years required to be spent in a special home under Section 15 of the Juvenile Justice Act, need not be undergone as he had already spent more than 17 years in jail.

“The certificate issued by Senior Superintendent of the jail at Lucknow, records that till August 1, 2021, the applicant has undergone the sentence for 17 years and 3 days. It will be unjust to send the applicant to the Juvenile Justice Board,” it said. —