Archive · 20 Jul 2025
Jharkhand HC Divided on Death Sentence in 2013 Maoist Attack
Imagine a court case where two people were accused of attacking police officers, resulting in deaths.
The judges couldn't agree on a verdict.
One judge thought the witnesses weren't reliable, so the accused should go free.
The other judge believed the witnesses and thought the accused should have the death penalty, especially because a top police officer was killed.
Because the judges disagreed, it's like the case is still undecided.
The court also ordered the government to give money and jobs to the families of the officers who died, regardless.
Jharkhand High Court delivered a split verdict in the case of two Maoists.
The case concerned the 2013 attack on a police team that resulted in the death of six personnel, including Pakur SP Amarjit Balihar.
One judge favored acquitting the convicts, citing unreliable eyewitness statements.
Another judge upheld the death sentence, based on eyewitness identification and the severity of the crime.
The court ordered compensation for the victims' families.
- Who
- Two Maoists, Pravir Murmu and Santan Baskey, and the Jharkhand High Court.
- What
- Split verdict on the death sentence given to two Maoists.
- When
- July 17, 2024.
- Where
- Jharkhand High Court, Ranchi.
- Why
- The two judges disagreed on the validity of the eyewitness accounts and the sentencing.
Justice Mukhopadhyay's View
Justice Prasad's View
Reliability of Eyewitness Testimony
Justice Mukhopadhyay's View
Eyewitness statements were unreliable because they claimed to be unconscious after the attack and couldn't have heard the names of the accused.
Justice Prasad's View
Eyewitnesses identified the accused in court.
- Incident Date
- July 2, 2013
- Location of Attack
- Jharkhand
- Victims
- Six police personnel, including Pakur SP Amarjit Balihar
- Judgement Date
- July 17, 2024
- Judges' Views
- Split verdict, one for acquittal, one for upholding the death sentence
- Compensation
- Rs 2 crore for the SP's family, Rs 50 lakh each for other families