After 22-yr court battle, 105-year-old prisoner to be free on R-Day
LUCKNOW: There was complete disbelief on the face of family members of Chauthi Yadav when his nephew Gautam Yadav broke the news that governor Ram Naik has ordered the release of 105-year-old Yadav from jail.
A murder convict, Chauthi was awarded life imprisonment on July 8, 1982. He contested the conviction for over 22 years but lost and started serving the sentence since 2005. He was initially lodged in Varanasi jail but was shifted to a jail in Gorakhpur, his hometown, in 2016.
Chauthi, who is suffering from old-age complications, he is likely to be released on Republic Day. “We are awaiting the copy of his release order. We will hold a function for him,” said SK Sharma, senior jail superintendent, adding that Chauthi’s conduct was good in jail.
Asked how Chauthi reacted after knowing about his release, Sharma said the prisoner offered ‘puja’ inside his barrack.
His family claims they fought the case for over 22 years in various courts, including the Supreme Court, but failed.
Talking to HT, Gautam said, “We owned four bigha agriculture land but had to sell two bighas to fight the case. The remaining money was spent on medical care of 98-year-old Sundari Devi, wife of Chauthi, who is infected with respiratory disease.”
Chauthi’s elder son Jeetbandhu Yadav owns a bullock cart and earns his livelihood by transporting grain from the villages to the local market. Younger son Maksudan Yadav had migrated to Surat in Gujarat where he works as a daily wage labourer in a construction agency.
Though Chauthi was convicted in a murder case, the family feels he was implicated. “We had a dispute over a piece of land with a neighbour but the murder was committed in distant Uruwa area in 1979. They unnecessary implicated him,” said Gautam.
“While we had lost hope of uncle coming out of the jail, a lawyer, who was roped in for a different case by me, suggested that since he had already served over a decade in jail and was 105 years, we can move petition for premature release to the President, governor and the state government.”
Press release from the governor house said the prisoner has served a jail term of 12 years, including the remission period.
ADG, prison, GL Meena said, “The state government will soon ensurethefreedomfortheconvict.” (With inputs from Abdul Jadid
in Gorakhpur)