Release prisoners who have completed sentence: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) expressed concern over prisoners languishing in jail even after completing their sentence and directed all States and Union Territories to immediately release any such convict if he or she is not wanted in any other case.

A Bench of Justices B. V. Nagarathna and K. V. Viswanathan passed the direction while ordering the release of Sukhdev Yadav, alias Pehalwan, in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case. It noted that Yadav completed his sentence of 20 years in March this year without remission.

Also read: Supreme Court grants Vikas Yadav temporary bail in Nitish Katara murder case in April 2025