New Delhi, Oct 28 (NationPress) The Supreme Court has served notice to the Maharashtra state government regarding a plea for compensation related to the wrongful conviction and imprisonment of an individual who spent a total of 12 years behind bars, six of which were spent on death row, prior to his acquittal earlier this year.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued the notice in response to the writ petition submitted by Ramkirat Munilal Goud, who was exonerated by the Supreme Court on May 7, 2025.

The bench, led by Justice Vikram Nath, further instructed that notice be sent to both the Attorney General and Solicitor General—the highest legal officers of the Union—to assist in the proceedings.

The Supreme Court also combined two additional petitions from former death row inmates, Kattavellai @ Devakar and Sanjay, who are also seeking compensation.

Goud’s petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, presents a distressing narrative of wrongful arrest, fabricated evidence, and compromised investigation that culminated in his conviction by a Special POCSO Court in Thane on March 5, 2019, with his death sentence later confirmed by the Bombay High Court on November 25, 2021.

Upon acquitting him in May 2025, the Supreme Court made severe remarks regarding the police and prosecution's actions, highlighting that key witnesses “were fabricated by the investigative agency for ulterior motives.”

Additionally, it determined that Goud was unlawfully detained on October 3, 2013, emphasizing that “there was no evidence in the investigation file to even create minimal suspicion against the accused appellant. The Investigating Officers lacked the basic evidence that could have implicated the accused appellant. Thus, the very basis for arresting the appellant in this case is non-existent.”

The plea indicated that the petitioner endured six years on death row, finally being released on May 19, after serving twelve years without any opportunities for parole or furlough.

“The Petitioner’s children were never able to visit him in prison,” the plea stated, noting that upon his release, he found his family “living in a kaccha house, with plastic sheets as a roof,” having sold and mortgaged property and jewelry to cover his legal costs.

“Now at 41 years old, the petitioner lost significant years of his life due to a wrongful conviction, primarily resulting from an unlawful and flawed investigation. The injustices he suffered due to the actions of the Maharashtra state officers should be compensated so he can rebuild his life and support his family,” the petition asserted.

Claiming a breach of his fundamental rights under Article 21, the petition argued that the government should be held liable for the “illegal and compromised investigation, unjust prosecution, and fabricated evidence” that led to his wrongful conviction.

“The mere release from incarceration is insufficient to rectify the injustices he faced,” the petition argued, urging the Supreme Court to mandate the Maharashtra government to deliver appropriate compensation for both monetary and non-monetary damages.

The petition on Goud's behalf was presented by advocates Mihir Samson and Yash S. Vijay, alongside Square Circle Clinic, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium represented the petitioner, while senior advocates Gopal Sankarnarayanan and Anitha Shenoy represented the other two petitioners.