For 104-year-old Lakhan Saroj, the last five decades have been a long wait for justice. Accused of murder in 1977, when he was just 56 years old, Lakhan has finally been acquitted-48 years after the incident, and decades after his life was forever changed.
Sitting on a woven cot in a mud courtyard in Kaushambi district, Lakhan’s frail frame and pained legs tell the story of time more clearly than his words. He cannot stand for long or walk without support. When asked what led to the fight all those years ago, his memory remains vivid. “There was tension with Jagan and Prabhu—people from our own community. They broke my aunt’s hand, then later my uncle’s leg,” he recalls. “We were told not to retaliate. But on August 6, 1977, 10 or 12 of them came drunk, with sticks in their hands. They attacked us, and we fought back. Prabhu got injured in the clash. He later died.”
Lakhan, along with Kalesar, Deshraj, and Kallu, was arrested by the Sarai Akil police and sent to jail. Though granted bail after a few days, the murder trial dragged on. In 1982, the Sessions Court in Prayagraj sentenced all four to life imprisonment. Lakhan challenged the verdict in the High Court, but what followed was a saga of legal delays, missing lawyers, and sheer neglect.
“We hired several lawyers over the years, but they took money and left,” he says. “We did not understand court matters. Every time we went to the police station to ask, they told us nothing will happen, go home.” Years passed in limbo. Then, in 2014, he was sent to Naini Jail in Prayagraj—now over 90 years old and barely able to walk. “They did not make me do any jail work due to my age. Everyone treated me kindly,” Lakhan says quietly.
“My daughters got me bail. My son did not help.” Lakhan remained largely unaware of the court proceedings. As his address kept changing—often staying at different daughters’ homes—he missed court dates. Warrants were issued, but the police never found him at the address they had. Finally, in December 2024, the High Court ordered his arrest to ensure his presence as his appeal reached the final stages. He was sent to Manjhanpur jail. By then, nearly everyone connected to the case had either died or become incapacitated. The FIR filers had passed away. Co-accused Kallu and Kalesar were dead. Deshraj could not even rise from bed. The case had become “Lakhan vs State.”
The case took a tragic twist even in its closing days. Although the High Court acquitted Lakhan with honor in early 2025, he remained in jail for 20 more days. The reason? Bureaucratic delay in sending the release warrant.
Additional District Judge of Kaushambi, Purnima Pranjal, explained, “Since his appeal was pending and the High Court required his presence, we executed the warrant and sent him to jail in December. After his acquittal, we had to wait for the release warrant from the CGM court in Prayagraj. It arrived late.”
Lakhan’s fourth daughter, Asha, says, “This fight started even before we were born. My brother never helped him, so we had to fight for our father. He stayed in jail in 2014 for three years. This time too, he stayed 20 more days because the papers were not sent in time.”
Lakhan had two marriages, one son from the first, and five daughters from the second. His daughters stood by him in his final legal battle. Today, his name is cleared, but the years lost can never be returned.
“I did not understand courts,” Lakhan says, his voice trembling. “But I knew I hadn’t killed anyone. I just kept waiting.”
A man who spent half his life under the shadow of a false conviction now seeks only peace. For Lakhan Saroj, justice came painfully late-but it came nonetheless.
