1980 murder case: Allahabad HC finds two convicts were minors, remits matter to Juvenile Justice Board
A Division Bench of Justices Abdul Moin and Pramod Kumar Srivastava on Thursday (October 15, 2026) passed the order on an appeal arising from the incident that took place in Sultanpur on September 28, 1980.
The Allahabad High Court overturned sentences for two men convicted of a 1980 murder in Sultanpur, determining they were minors at the time. A Division Bench of Justices Abdul Moin and Pramod Kumar Srivastava passed the order after finding the two, Siraj Ahmad and Abdul Wahid, to be 17 years and 10 months and 17 years and 11 months old respectively at the time of the crime.
The court upheld their convictions but referred the matter to the Juvenile Justice Board to determine appropriate punishment. The incident involved eight men attacking several others with sharp weapons, resulting in the deaths of Shamshad, Abdul Rafiq, Dilsher, and Hamidullah, with others sustaining injuries. The original Sessions Court sentenced all eight to life imprisonment in 1981, but on appeal, the juveniles claimed minor status.
The Juvenile Justice Board will decide their fate within six weeks of receiving the certified copy of the court's order.
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