Supreme Court Grants Bail to Odisha Life Convict After 22 Years

Overview

• The Supreme Court bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan granted bail on Thursday under Article 142.
• It ordered release on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and called the High Court’s approach “very disturbing.”
• The Orissa High Court had refused to condone a 3,157‑day delay in a jail‑filed appeal, even though the prisoner had served over 12 years by then.
• The convict, Arjun Jani, has been in custody for nearly 22 years with no parole or furlough, and jail records note consistently good conduct.
• The court directed the District Legal Services Authority, Koraput, to help him seek remission and set May 28 for a compliance update, after noting a remand would be futile given the time served and case history.