93-year-old man moves to India's top court against life sentence

The man was given life sentence in a 40-year-old murder case by the Allahabad High Court.

A 93-year-old man, who was given life sentence in a 40-year-old murder case by the Allahabad High Court, on Friday approached the Supreme Court challenging the sentencing order.

Advocates Yadunandan Bansal and Amit Kumar, appearing for Rohtas who is currently in jail, filed the appeal against the Allahabad High Court's February 12 judgment and mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a vacation bench of Justice U.U. Lalit and Justice Deepak Gupta.

The apex court asked the counsels to mention the matter before the next vacation bench, which would sit from June 18.

Rohtas's counsel contended that he was suffering from ailments due to which he was unable to move the right portion of his body and his medical reports have shown that there was blockage in his brain due to which he could go into coma or paralysis in the whole body.

On February 12 this year, the Allahabad High Court dismissed the appeal filed by Rohtas and two others who were convicted and jailed for life by a trial court in 1983.

The incident dates back to September 29, 1978 when two groups had a scuffle over harvesting crop from a piece of land in which some persons were injured in Bagpat district of Uttar Pradesh. Rohtas along with others had assaulted the members of opposite party and one of the injured died later, as per the police.

The accused denied the allegations and said that they had pleaded right to self defence before the high court. One of them had also sustained serious injuries and lodged a police complaint, said the accused.

• India