Srinagar, Dec 9: The Supreme Court granted an interim bail to Anantnag man, who was booked for culpable homicide offence committed in 2001.
The Apex Court granted interim bail to one Sabzar Ahmad Sofi of Jablipora, Anantnag for commission of offence under Section 304 RPC (culpable homicide).
The division bench of the High Court in October 2025 had found the appellant-Sofi guilty for the offence of culpable homicide and had directed him to go to simple imprisonment of five years.
The sentence of five years was awarded in an appeal filed by the state-prosecution challenging the acquittal of Sofi from the charges of homicide vide judgment of trial court dated 05.03.2005.
On the reversal of trial court judgment, Sofi was taken back into custody after 19 years as he was acquitted by the trial court in 2005 in connection with a 2001 incident arising out of an irrigation dispute.
The senior counsel Shadan Farasat for the petitioner-Sofi before the Apex Court submitted that out of the sentence of five years, he has already served sentence for about three years and four months.
“Let the petitioner be released on interim bail subject to such terms and conditions that may be imposed by the trial court”, the bench of Justice Ahsan-ud-din Amanullah and Justice K Vinod Chandran directed and posted the matter for further consideration on February 17 next year.
It is noted that the trial court while acquitting the appellant-Sofi along with others had held that the prosecution failed to prove its case, noting contradictions in witness testimonies and the absence of reliable corroboration.
The State challenged the verdict in an appeal which came to be decided on July 30 2025 by the High Court and reversed the acquittal of appellant-Sofi by convicting him under Section 304 Part II RPC, and sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment.
Following the High Court direction to surrender, Sofi was sent back to jail after nearly 19 years.
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