Hisar Murder Case Convict Sonia Poonia Walks Free After Bail
In a significant development in a nearly quarter-century-old crime, Sonia, the daughter of former Haryana MLA Reluram Poonia, was released from Karnal jail on Tuesday evening. She, along with her husband Sanjeev Kumar, was convicted for the murder of eight members of her family in 2001. Her release comes just days after her husband, Sanjeev Kumar, was freed from prison on Saturday, December 13.
The Bail Process and Release Order
The final steps for Sonia's release were set in motion on Tuesday when her bail bonds were submitted in the Hisar court. This was the seventh day after the bail order was initially passed. Following the submission, the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Hisar promptly issued her release order, which was then communicated to the Karnal jail authorities.
Two individuals from Uttar Pradesh, Abhishek Tomar and Gagan Chaudhary, stood as sureties for Sonia, each submitting bail bonds of Rs 1 lakh. Reports indicate that Tomar is related to Sanjeev Kumar's brother's in-laws, while Chaudhary is also a relative of Sanjeev. This arrangement followed earlier reports of a delay caused by alleged differences between the convicted couple, which had made arranging Sonia's bail sureties difficult.
A Long Legal Battle: From Death Sentence to Bail
The case dates back to August 2001, when a horrific crime shook Litani village in Hisar. Eight members of former MLA Relu Ram Poonia's family were killed at their farmhouse. Sonia, the MLA's daughter, and her husband Sanjeev were found guilty, and a Hisar court initially awarded them the death sentence.
Their mercy petitions were later rejected by the President of India. However, in a 2014 ruling, the Supreme Court commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment. The court cited inordinate delays in the disposal of their mercy pleas as the primary reason for this commutation.
More recently, an application was filed for their premature release. On December 9, the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted interim bail to both convicts. While they are now out on bail, a final decision on their plea for permanent premature release is still pending before the court.
Husband's Earlier Release and the Path Ahead
Sonia's husband, Sanjeev Kumar, had secured his release a few days prior. On December 12, his mother Rajbiri Devi and uncle Rajendra submitted bail bonds of Rs 1 lakh each in the Hisar court for him. He was subsequently released from Karnal jail on December 13.
Advocate RS Khatana, involved in the case, confirmed the details of the bail proceedings for both convicts. The releases mark a temporary new chapter for the couple, who have spent over two decades behind bars, as they await the high court's final verdict on their plea for premature release from their life sentences.
