Gauhati HC commutes death sentence to life imprisonment

The Gauhati High Court has commuted the death sentence of a man, who was found guilty of killing two of his brothers in 1999, to imprisonment for life.
A division bench of Chief Justice (acting) T Vaiphei and Justice C R Sarma, in its judgement yesterday, commuted the death sentence of Holiram Bordoloi to imprisonment for life, said a press release by the Court's Registrar General today.
Sessions Judge, Morigaon, in case No.47(A) of 1999 had held Bordoloi guilty of offence punishable under sections 147 (rioting)/148 (rioting with deadly weapons)/436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance)/326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt)/302 (murder) read with section 149 (unlawful assembly) of IPC and sentenced him to death, it said.

The sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court vide order dated April 8, 2005.
After confirmation of the sentence by the apex court, Holiram Bordoloi preferred mercy petitions on April 18, 2005 before the Governor of Assam and the President, the release said.
Both the petitions were rejected in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Taking the ground of inordinate delay of about nine years and three months in disposal of his mercy petitions, Holiram Bordoloi approached the Gauhati High Court in 2014 for commutation of his death sentence, the release added.