CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of a person in a 33-year-old murder case at Kadua under Bisoi police limits in Mayurbhanj district.
Gulia Majhi, now 65-year-old, who had been out on bail since 1988 even after conviction under Section 304 (II) of IPC by the Sessions Court, Baripada, will now return to jail and serve a sentence of five years.
The Sessions Court had sentenced Majhi to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years on October 3, 1988.
However, the HC modified the sentence and ordered for his surrender within two weeks to serve the remaining five-year jail term.Majhi’s criminal appeal challenging the conviction and sentence was admitted on November 15, 1988 and on that day, he was granted bail.
Before pronouncement of the judgment, Justice SK Sahoo inquired about the present condition of appellant. In his report on August 22, 2020, the officer in-charge of Bisoi Police Station indicated that the appellant is now aged about 65 years and he is not involved in any other case under the police station.
His wife is residing with him and he is blessed with two sons. The elder son is aged about 36 years and the younger son is aged about 22 years.
The elder son is a farmer who maintains the family and the younger son is serving as a constable in the Army.
Taking note of it, Justice Sahoo observed, “There is no dispute that more than 33 years have already passed since the date of occurrence but in my humble view, looking at the nature and gravity of the accusation proved, the same cannot be the sole ground to reduce the sentence to period already undergone.”