Overview

• The court reduced Surendra Kumar’s remaining three-year term to a single day already served, releasing the 90-year-old from further imprisonment.
• The bench cited inordinate delays of nearly 40 years in trial and appeal, saying prolonged uncertainty violated his Article 21 right to a speedy trial.
• Justice Singh invoked the ‘Sword of Damocles’ analogy to highlight the psychological toll of decades-long legal limbo.
• The judgment noted Kumar’s cooperation, clean record and severe health ailments as key factors in mitigating his sentence.
• His conviction under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the fine imposed in 2002 remain on record despite the sentence reduction.