The Manipur High Court recently granted bail and suspended the sentence of a man convicted under the POCSO Act for sexually assaulting a three-and-a-half-year-old girl. The petitioner had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2018 but appealed against the judgment, citing his poor health condition and seeking suspension of his sentence.
Justice MV Muralidaran, who delivered the judgment, considered the convict’s health issues while highlighting that the right to dignity does not end when a person is imprisoned. The court emphasized that undertrials must receive humane treatment, and their right to life continues even while in jail.
The judge stated that the State must ensure the health of prisoners is adequately taken care of, and if not, the judiciary should intervene. “The right to dignity of an accused does not dry out with the Judges. Rather, it subsists beyond the prison gates and operates until his last breath,” the court remarked.
The State opposed the petition, arguing that the crime was serious and that the jail had sufficient medical facilities. However, the court relied on a previous Supreme Court ruling, which allowed bail and suspension of sentence if there were reasonable grounds to believe the accused was not guilty and posed no threat while on bail.
The judge also noted that the appeal process is part of the trial, and during this period, the right to life and liberty remains valid. As a result, the convict was granted bail on the condition of providing a bond of ₹50,000.
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