‘Krishna Was Born in Jail Today, & You Want Bail?’: CJI to Convict

CJI Bobde made the comments on a lighter note on Janmashtami while he was hearing a murder plea.

File image of Chief Justice of India Justice SA Bobde.

(Photo: The Quint)

While hearing the bail application of a murder convict in Supreme Court, CJI SA Bobde on Wednesday, 12 August, said that the bail was being sought on the day Lord Krishna was born in jail.

Bobde made the comment on a lighter note on the occasion of Janmashtami, while he was hearing the plea by one Dharmendra Valvi, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, Hindustan Times reported.

“You want bail or jail? Today, Lord Krishna was born in jail. Do you want to leave jail?” the newspaper quoted CJI Bobde as saying. “Good. Religion is not something you are extremely attached to,” the CJI reportedly said before granting bail.

Janmashtami is celebrated as Lord Krishna is believed to have been born in a prison cell in Mathura to Devaki and Vasudeva, who were imprisoned by Kansa.

According to Hindustan Times, Valvi, a former Congress party member, was accused of murdering a political opponent from the BJP in 1994 and convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. The appeal against the high court verdict is pending before the Supreme Court.

The court directed Valvi to be released on bail on furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs 25,000 with two sureties of the like amount.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times.)