The Allahabad High Court has stayed the conviction and sentencing of former Machhlishahr MP Uma Kant Yadav in a nearly three-decade-old murder case. The stay was granted by a division bench comprising Justice Siddharth and Justice Santosh Rai while hearing a criminal appeal filed by Yadav against his conviction by a Jaunpur court.
The case stems from an incident in February 1995 when Yadav and his supporters allegedly opened fire at the Shahganj Government Railway Police (GRP) lockup in Jaunpur to free his driver, Rajkumar Yadav. During the firing, GRP constable Ajay Singh was killed, and three others — GRP constable Lallan Singh, railway employee Nirmal, and passenger Bharat Lal — sustained serious injuries.
A sessions court in Jaunpur had, in 2022, convicted Yadav along with six others, sentencing them to life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 10 years under Section 307 (attempt to murder), and additional sentences under other provisions.
Challenging the trial court’s verdict, Yadav argued before the High Court that he is a political figure and intends to contest the upcoming elections. His counsel cited Supreme Court precedents, including Navjot Singh Sidhu vs. State of Punjab and Lok Prahari vs. Election Commission of India (2007), where the apex court had stayed convictions to enable politicians to participate in elections.
It was highlighted that Yadav had a long political career, having served as a Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2009 and as a Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly between 1991 and 2002 across three terms.
The state counsel, however, opposed the plea, arguing that considering the gravity of the offences, Yadav was not entitled to any relief beyond the bail already granted by the court on August 13, 2025.
After considering the submissions, the High Court stayed Yadav’s conviction and sentencing, paving the way for him to contest elections while his appeal is pending.
