“Aggressors Meet A Tragic End”: Patna HC Invokes Mahabharat While Upholding Death Penalty

PATNA / SASARAM — In a landmark 67-page judgment uploaded on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, the Patna High Court upheld the death sentence of two brothers, Aman Singh and Sonal Singh, for the 2021 triple murder of their relatives. The court, citing the “rarest of rare” nature of the crime, drew a striking parallel to the Mahabharat to emphasize that those who resort to violence for land and power against their own kin are committing adharm (unrighteousness).

The division bench of Justice Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Justice Sourendra Pandey delivered the order, confirming the May 2024 verdict of a trial court in Rohtas.

1. The Crime: A “Savagery” Over Land

The incident dates back to July 13, 2021, in Village Khudrao, Rohtas district.

• The Victims: Vijay Singh (62) and his two sons, Deepak and Rakesh Singh.
• The Brutality: The convicts, armed with swords (talwars) and spears, attacked their unarmed relatives inside their shared dwelling following a dispute over a small plot of land.
• The Impact: The court noted that the attack was so ferocious that it left the victims with “multiple deep incisions,” effectively “butchering” the family’s only male members and leaving three widows and several orphaned children behind.

2. Judicial Reference: The Mahabharat Analogy

Justice Sourendra Pandey, in his concurring opinion, noted that the case was a modern-day reflection of the dynastic feud between the Pandavas and Kauravas.

“The Kauravas were the aggressors, who attempted to kill relatives for property… Mahabharat culminates with a message that aggressors meet a tragic end as divine punishment for their ‘adharm’.”

The bench observed that the incessant tears of the widows could not be dried, but capital punishment serves as a necessary mitigation for such extreme “sin and crime.”

3. Rarest of Rare: Dismissing the Appeals

The defense argued that a four-hour delay in the FIR suggested fabrication and that “lacerated wounds” were inconsistent with sword attacks. However, the High Court dismantled these claims:

• Medical Science: The court noted that heavy swords can cause lacerations through crushing or dragging actions.
• Investigative Lapses: While the court acknowledged that the Investigating Officer (IO) had “deliberately” left loopholes to favor the accused, it ruled that such lapses could not allow the “savagery” of the convicts to go unpunished.
• Aggravating Factors: The court found no room for mitigating factors, citing the premeditated nature of the murders and the total devastation of the surviving family members.

Sentencing & Compensation Breakdown