Chhotelal Yadav Vs State of Jharkhand & Anr. (Supreme Court of India)
The Supreme Court of India delivered a judgment setting aside the orders of the Jharkhand High Court, which had suspended the life sentences of three persons convicted of murder, and strongly criticized both the High Court’s casual approach and the State’s inaction in the matter.
The appeals were filed by the de-facto complainant against the High Court’s orders dated 7 May 2025 in three separate criminal appeals. The High Court had allowed the applications filed by the convicts—Rajesh Rai, Vicky Rai, and Sukhdeo Rai—under Section 389 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (now Section 430 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023), suspending their life sentences and releasing them on bail pending disposal of their appeals.
The convicts were tried by the Sessions Judge, Giridih, Jharkhand, in Sessions Trial No. 104 of 2021 arising out of Bengabad Police Station Case No. 187 of 2020. They were convicted under Sections 147, 148, 149, 325, 342, and 302 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of ₹10,000 each. Following their conviction, they filed appeals before the High Court and sought suspension of their sentences.
