Patna: A Vaishali court on Tuesday pronounced the sentence in a sensational 34-year-old assault case, awarding a three-year prison term to the main accused, 85-year-old Deepa Rai, while sentencing four other convicts to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each.
The judgment was delivered by the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ-I) Manoj Kumar Tiwari.
The court had convicted the accused on May 26 and reserved its decision on sentencing, which was announced on Tuesday amid considerable public interest at the Vaishali Civil Court complex.
Taking into account Deepa Rai’s advanced age and health condition, the court imposed a lighter sentence of three years’ imprisonment on him. Following the pronouncement, the court granted him provisional bail under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), allowing temporary relief from immediate incarceration and enabling him to pursue legal remedies, including filing an appeal before a higher court.
The decision brought relief to Rai’s family members, who had been anxiously awaiting the sentencing order.
While the main accused received limited relief, the court adopted a stringent approach toward the remaining four convicts. Each was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 25,000. The court stipulated that failure to pay the fine would result in additional imprisonment as prescribed by law.
Immediately after sentencing, police personnel present in court took the four convicts into custody and completed legal formalities before sending them to jail.
According to the prosecution, the case dates back to 1992 and arose from a violent attack in the Jurawanpur police station area of Raghopur in Vaishali district. The accused allegedly launched an armed assault on Adalat Rai and his wife, opening fire during the incident.
Following the attack, Adalat Rai lodged a named First Information Report (FIR) against nine individuals. Over the course of the lengthy trial spanning more than three decades, four of the accused died before the case reached its conclusion.
The remaining five accused were convicted by the court, paving the way for the sentencing order announced on May 26, 2026.
(IANS)
