RANJIT SINGH Vs. STATE CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Baba Gurbachan Singh, head of Nirankari Mission and esteemed as Guru of Nirankaris and his bodyguard Pratap Singh were shut dead on 24th April 1980 in the Nirankari Bhawan Complex. The appellant was arrested on 23rd November 1983 and is in custody s.ince then. After protracted trial which was held in the precinc's of Central Jail, Sh. R. P. Gupta, learned Additional Sessions Judge by judgment dated 26m March, 1993 held as proved against appellant Ranjit Singh the following charges :

(2.) By order of sentence dated 27th March, 1992 for the offences at numbers 1, 2 and ,3 above imprisonment for life besides fine has been awarded and. for offences at numbers 4, 5 and 6 above ugoraus imprisonment for 7 years besides fine has been awarded. The learned Additional Sessions Judge has directed that the life sentence shall have to be fully suffered from the date of conviction. After noticing Abdul Azad Vs. The State 1976 Criminal Law Journal 315 (1), Rajahusein Gulamhusein Lakhari V. The State of Maharashtra, 1976 Criminal Law Journal 1294 (2) and Kanthalot Karunan & Ors. Vs. State of Kerala, ILR 1975 (1) Kerala 215 (3) the learned Judge has held that provisions of Section 428 Criminal Procedure Code . regarding set off of period in custody do not apply to the sentence of life imprisonment.

(3.) Ranjit Singh by this application prays that pending decision of the appeal the sentence of imprisonment and fine awarded to him be suspended and he be released on bail.