Armyman jailed for 27 years, SC acknowledges wife plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has taken note of a woman’s plea that her husband, an Army man, has been languishing in jail for 27 years without a final decision on the death penalty awarded by a Court Martial for killing two of his colleagues. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar took note of the plea of Mithilesh Rai, wife of the jailed Armyman Lance Naik Devendra Nath Rai and issued notice to the ministry of defence, the Chief of Army Staff and others and asked them to respond within four weeks. Rai, 60, whose mental health suffered due to the long incarceration, was awarded the death penatly by the General Court Martial in 1991. The Centre confirmed the noose. The Armyman then appealed in the Allahabad HC, which, upheld the conviction.