Overview

• Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan directed the Madhya Pradesh government to compensate Sohan Singh and disposed of the case with systemic directions.
• Sohan Singh’s original life term from a 2005 conviction was cut to seven years by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2017, yet he served about four years and seven months extra.
• He remained in custody until June 6, 2025, and the over-detention came to light after he approached the Supreme Court.
• The Court rebuked the state for administrative failures and for submitting misleading affidavits that misstated the extent of excess incarceration.
• The Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority was tasked with auditing all prisons to identify and remediate any similar unlawful detentions.