Kanpur Dehat: 73-year-old woman and her two sons found guilty in 2007 murder case

Kanpur Dehat Court Sentences Retired Judge's Family to Life in 16-Year-Old Murder Case

In a landmark verdict that brought closure to a decades-long legal battle, a Kanpur Dehat court on Wednesday sentenced 73-year-old Neelam Devi and her two sons to life imprisonment for their involvement in a 2007 murder stemming from a bitter land dispute. The court found Neelam Devi, wife of late retired judge Shivbaran Singh, along with her sons Jaivardhan Singh and Yashovardhan Singh, guilty of murder and attempted murder in the killing of their relative Virendra Singh and the assault on his son Navneet Singh.  

The case, which had languished in legal limbo for 16 years, finally reached its conclusion with the three convicts appearing via video conference to receive their sentences. The court also imposed a substantial fine on the defendants, marking the end of a protracted legal struggle that saw multiple delays, including the death of the primary accused, retired judge Shivbaran Singh, in 2017 before he could face trial.  

The violent incident dates back to April 2007 when an altercation over ancestral land in Behta Bujurg village turned deadly. According to prosecution details, the accused family allegedly attacked Virendra Singh and his son Navneet, leaving Virendra dead and Navneet seriously injured. While Jaivardhan's wife Sheelu Singh was acquitted due to lack of evidence, the court found overwhelming proof against the other family members.  

For Navneet Singh, the sole surviving victim, the verdict brings bittersweet closure. "We've waited 16 years for this day," he said outside the courtroom. "No punishment can bring my father back, but at least we can finally say justice has been served." The case had faced numerous obstacles over the years, including witness intimidation and legal delays, but persistent efforts by the prosecution and the victims' family kept it alive.  

The conviction of a retired judge's family has sent ripples through the local legal community, serving as a stark reminder that justice ultimately prevails regardless of social standing. Additional District Government Counsel Vivek Kumar Tripathi, who prosecuted the case, called the verdict "a triumph of perseverance in the face of systemic challenges."  

As the convicted family begins their life sentences, the case stands as a sobering example of how property disputes in rural India can escalate into deadly violence, and how the wheels of justice, though slow, continue to turn. The verdict has been welcomed by villagers in Behta Bujurg, many of whom had lived in fear of the influential family for years, and now hope this marks the beginning of a new chapter for the community.