Uttar Pradesh Government to Compensate Man Acquitted After Six Years in Jail

New Delhi, October 26 (Daily Kiran) : The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay ₹6 lakh to a man who was acquitted after spending nearly six years in jail as a pre-trial detainee. This ruling comes in response to the court’s dissatisfaction with the police investigation into a kidnapping and murder case.

Justices JB Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran raised serious concerns about the conduct of the police and the prosecution during the hearings. They highlighted that a fabricated narrative and mere suspicion led to the loss of six crucial years of the man’s life, while a basic investigation was never conducted.

The case originated from a kidnapping and murder incident reported in Agra district in October 2019. The petitioner was arrested on November 14, 2019, and remained in judicial custody until the recent ruling.

In March 2026, the Supreme Court instructed the trial court to conclude hearings within three months, considering the lengthy detention. Subsequently, the trial court acquitted the defendant due to a lack of evidence. The Supreme Court then reviewed the entire investigation process following this verdict.

During the proceedings, the court found that the accused’s name was not mentioned in the original FIR, nor in the initial statements given to the police by the complainant. The police later implicated him based on unclear CCTV footage and a supposed confession from a co-accused.

The Supreme Court noted that the alleged CCTV footage was not definitive, and the required certification under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act for admitting electronic evidence was not provided.

Justice K. Vinod Chandran remarked that due to a negligent investigation and weak prosecution, the accused spent six years in jail. The court emphasized that the police’s duty is not merely to secure a conviction at all costs but to ensure justice through fair investigations.

The Supreme Court reiterated a fundamental principle of the Indian justice system: an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It called for investigative agencies to uphold fairness and constitutional values.

The court mandated the Uttar Pradesh government to disburse the compensation within a month, warning that failure to do so would incur an 18% annual interest on the amount owed. Additionally, the court instructed that copies of the order be sent to the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) and Home Secretary to facilitate training and awareness regarding proper and impartial investigation processes for police officials.