At 105, India's Oldest Convict Walks Free as Supreme Court Orders Premature Release in 1988 Murder Case

In a decision underlining judicial compassion and human rights, the Supreme Court of India ordered the premature release of Rasik Chandra Mondal, a 105-year-old life convict serving time for a murder committed nearly four decades ago.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana ruled that keeping a centenarian behind bars served no practical purpose, making his interim bail absolute. The top court observed that despite Mondal not completing the entirety of his formal sentence, his advanced age and decades of legal struggle left no legal or moral justification to deny him his liberty.

A Legal Battle Spanning Nearly Four Decades

The case traces back to 1988, when West Bengal Police booked Mondal under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 302 (murder), Section 143 (unlawful assembly), Section 448 (house-trespass), and Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons).

After a prolonged trial, a sessions court convicted Mondal under Section 302 on December 12, 1994, sentencing him to life imprisonment. Mondal spent years fighting the verdict through higher judicial forums. However, the Calcutta High Court dismissed his appeal against conviction in 2018. A subsequent challenge before the apex court was also rejected, cementing his conviction.

From 99-Year-Old Petitioner to Centenarian Freedom

Refusing to give up, Mondal filed a writ petition in 2020 directly before the Supreme Court seeking premature release on grounds of extreme old age and failing health. At the time of filing, he was already 99 years old.

Recognising his plight during the pendency of the petition, the apex court granted Mondal interim bail and parole in 2024, leaving the specific terms and conditions to the local trial court in West Bengal.

With the final hearing on August 21, 2026, the bench closed the proceedings by converting his interim bail into a permanent release order. The court's decision brings an end to a 38-year-old legal saga, ensuring the 105-year-old spends his remaining days outside prison walls.