19 yrs in jail for no crime

Rohit K Singh, Hindustan Times, Lucknow, September 05, 2008

Sher Bahadur, 47, walked out of Lucknow jail after 19 years on Wednesday. His crime: Nothing, according to the courts.

Bahadur, alias Shera, was sent to jail in 1989 for opening fire on a police party. He was 27 years old then.

Shera was booked for 67 cases under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

In the course of his long drawn-out trial, he was absolved of all charges as none of the charges against him could be proved.

He was acquitted in the final case on Tuesday.

But it was a long and often unbearable wait for justice. Shera had sent a petition to the president and PM, seeking mercy killing.

“I lost faith in the judiciary,” said Shera. He received no reply from the president or the PM.

HT had reported on Shera’s euthanasia petition on June 20.

Shera blamed the police and local politicians for his plight.

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