Supreme Court Affirms Conviction but Orders 1984 Case Release Due to Long Incarceration

The Supreme Court confirmed a conviction in a 1984 murder case but ordered Gopi Chand's release, considering his 18-year imprisonment. The Court upheld his conviction for murder and criminal conspiracy but revised his sentence. The decision noted co-convicts received remission and forensic evidence supported the conviction.

In a pivotal ruling, the Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Gopi Chand in a 1984 murder case while ordering his immediate release, acknowledging his prolonged imprisonment spanning over 18 years. The decision took into account that his co-convicts had received a remission of their sentences.

The Court upheld Chand's conviction under sections 302 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, relating to murder and criminal conspiracy. A bench of Justices Manoj Misra and P S Narasimha modified the sentence to time already served. This decision arrives despite arguments questioning the reliability of the approver's testimony.

The crime unfolded when Gopi Chand, along with four others, orchestrated a plan to steal a truck under the pretense of transporting pumpkins. During the heist, they murdered the driver and cleaner, subsequently disposing of their bodies in Alipur and Civil Lines and absconding with the vehicle.

The apex court underscored the planned nature of the crime and corroborated the approver's account with forensic evidence, including the discovery of the driver's body. Dispelling defense arguments, the court maintained that the murders were a predictable outcome of the robbery plan.