Archive · 6 Jan 2026
Uttarakhand High Court Frees Minor Convict After 13 Years
A man who was in jail for 13 years for a murder and attempted robbery was found to be a minor when the crime happened.
The Uttarakhand High Court said that because he was under 18, he couldn't be given a life sentence.
The court looked at his school records and other documents to confirm his age.
Since he had already spent more than 13 years in jail, which is more than the maximum time a juvenile can be kept in a reformatory, the court ordered his immediate release.
The court also said that a person can claim to be a juvenile at any time, even after the trial or sentence is over.
The Uttarakhand High Court ordered the release of a convict who had been in jail for 13 years for a murder and attempted robbery.
The court found that the convict was a minor (15 years and 1 month old) at the time of the crime in 2003.
The court verified the convict's age through school records, student registers, and witness statements.
The court cited the Juvenile Justice Act, which states that a juvenile cannot be given a life sentence or kept in a reformatory for more than three years.
The convict's role in the crime was similar to that of the other accused, but his sentence was invalid due to his age.
- Who
- A convict who was a minor at the time of the crime
- What
- The Uttarakhand High Court ordered the immediate release of the convict
- When
- The crime took place on June 24, 2003, and the convict was released after 13 years in jail
- Where
- The crime occurred in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, and the court case was heard in the Uttarakhand High Court
- Why
- The convict was found to be a minor at the time of the crime, making his life imprisonment sentence legally invalid
- Convict's Date of Birth
- May 22, 1988
- Age at Time of Crime
- 15 years and 1 month
- Crime Location
- Roorkee, Uttarakhand
- Crime Date
- June 24, 2003
- Jail Term Served
- 13 years
- Court's Decision
- Immediate release due to being a minor at the time of the crime
