In an extraordinary display of empathy and commitment to justice, a magistrate in Bodhan town of Nizamabad district stepped out of his courtroom and delivered a judgment on the street to accommodate an elderly couple unable to physically enter the court premises due to serious health concerns.
Additional Junior Civil Judge Essampelli Sai Shiva made headlines across the country after he walked out to the roadside to pronounce his judgment in a case involving Kantapu Sayamma and Kantapu Nadpi Gangaram, a frail couple accused under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (matrimonial cruelty).
The couple had arrived in a rickshaw, unable to walk after reportedly suffering injuries in an accident. A poignant photograph captured during the hearing, published by The New Indian Express on April 30, showed the judge seated on a chair outside the court building, signing the judgment as the elderly man remained seated inside the rickshaw and the woman stood with folded hands.
Court records accessed by Bar & Bench confirmed that the couple were named in a criminal complaint filed by their daughter-in-law in 2021. They were subsequently charge-sheeted in December of that year by Telangana Police. The case underwent nearly 30 hearings over the span of more than three years, and the matter was finally reserved for orders on April 22, 2025.
During the proceedings, the court was informed that the accused were no longer able to attend hearings due to their fragile health. Taking into account their condition, Judge Shiva decided to personally meet them and deliver the judgment outside the court building.
In a brief but clear order, the court held:
“Accused No.1 and 2 found not guilty for the offence punishable under section 498A of IPC,” thereby acquitting the couple of the allegations.
While the event highlights persistent challenges with accessibility and infrastructure in India’s judicial system, Judge Sai Shiva’s action was widely praised on social media as a rare and humane intervention by a judicial officer.
Judge Shiva, a recent entrant into the judiciary, graduated from Mahatma Gandhi Law College, Hyderabad, and successfully cleared the civil judge examination in 2023. In a previous interview with Telangana Today, he had expressed his aspiration to bridge the gap between victims and accused individuals, saying:
“Since childhood, I have been inclined to legal matters. I chose the role of judge to be in the middle of a victim and accused person. I am determined to speedily dispose of cases, besides ensuring justice to victims.”
Legal experts and members of the bar have hailed the act as a reminder of the human side of justice, especially for vulnerable litigants. While judicial delays and infrastructure constraints remain a systemic challenge, instances like these serve as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that accessibility and compassion can coexist within the framework of the law.
