GHASIA MUNDA Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Appellant Ghasia Munda (hereinafter to be referred to as the 'accused') aged 69/70 years, after having been convicted for the offence punishable under Sec. 302 I.P.C. and sentenced to life imprisonment vide impugned judgment dated 19.08.2000 of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner, Khunti (Ranchi), has preferred the instant appeal. His co-accused Radha Govind Munda could not be nabbed by the police, as such, declared absconder and his case was separated.

(2.) At the very outset, we have been informed by Mr. Ajay Kumar Pathak, Advocate, appearing as Amicus Curiae for the accused, that the accused has already undergone more than 16 years of his substantive sentence but he is not aware as to whether he has been released from the jail or not as at one stage the case of the accused was put up before State Sentence Review Board. Even learned A.P.P. is also not aware of the said fact as no information has been supplied to him from the concerned quarter till date.

(3.) Be that as it may, the instant appeal which already stands admitted, has to be decided on merits.