104-year-old man from Bengal freed after 36 years in jail following Supreme Court ruling

Rasik Mondal, a 104-year-old man from Malda, was released from the Malda District Correctional Facility on December 3, 2024, after spending 36 years in prison. His release followed a Supreme Court ruling on November 29, 2024, which granted him bail. Mondal’s family had long contested his conviction, claiming he had been wrongfully imprisoned for the 1988 murder of his brother, Suresh Mondal.

The case stemmed from a land dispute between the two brothers, which escalated into a violent incident. On November 8, 1988, Suresh Mondal was shot and killed. Rasik was accused of the murder, and a case was filed at Manikchak police station. Rasik was arrested and charged, and after a trial, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Despite Rasik’s consistent claims of innocence, his conviction stood for years, and he remained incarcerated.

Rasik Mondal’s family maintained that the charges against him were false and linked to a family dispute over land. In the years following his conviction, his family sought legal avenues for his release. Rasik’s advanced age and deteriorating health became a central argument in their efforts. Indian law provides provisions for the consideration of early release for elderly prisoners, but Rasik’s case had not been addressed until recently.

Over the years, Rasik's family filed petitions in both the High Court and the Supreme Court, seeking his release. On November 29, 2024, the Supreme Court granted bail to Rasik, citing his age and health concerns. Following the ruling, the Malda District Correctional Facility processed the release, and Rasik was freed on December 3. He had been one of the oldest prisoners in the state, having spent the last three decades of his life in prison.

Rasik Mondal is now expected to return to his home in Malda, where he plans to spend his remaining years. His family has expressed relief over his release, and Rasik is expected to resume his life in the village, where he intends to focus on gardening. His lengthy imprisonment, which began more than three decades ago, has now concluded, and his release marks the end of a prolonged legal battle for justice.