94-yr old murder accused granted bail by HC

A 94-year-old man, facing trial in a murder case, has been granted bail by the Delhi High Court considering his age and noting that there was no evidence regarding his direct involvement in the killing of his woman tenant.

Justice Yogesh Khanna, who conducted the hearing through video conferencing, granted the relief to the man on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety of the like amount.

Considering the above facts as also the age of the applicant, being 94 years, I admit the applicant...to bail, the judge said.

The case related to murder of a woman, who was a tenant in the man's Model Town-II house, in 2011. A murder case was lodged by the police as the woman's body had injuries and strangulation marks on neck.

Another FIR, for alleged offence of kidnapping with an intent to secretly confine a person, was also filed on the complaint of the woman's brother who was apprehensive of the suspicious role of the landlord and his wife.

There had been some dispute between the parties on vacation of the premises.

On the basis of statement of a witness, the elderly man was charged for the offence of murder and was taken into custody in February this year.

The high court, while granting him bail, perused the February 27 order on the charge passed by the trial court and said the only ground for that appeared to be that he being the ultimate beneficiary of vacating of the premises by the deceased tenant.

Both the status report as also the order on charge do not refer to any piece of evidence qua the direct involvement of applicant (man) in the crime. Rather the status report shows that the co-accused had informed this applicant that the deceased had vacated the premises, it said.