According to Gorakhpur district magistrate Hari Om, "Brij Bihari Pandey was jailed in 2009 after being convicted along with 15 others for the murder of four persons in the neighbouring Maharajganj town over the inheritance of the Jaganath temple."
In 1987, when he was 84, Pandey went on a killed spree. The trial went on for more than two decades and in 2009 he was convicted along with others to life imprisonment. Since his conviction his health continued to deteriorate. Hence, an application was moved for his release on the grounds of old age infirmities and illness.
Describing Pandey as the oldest prisoner in India's history, Om said, "He walked out of jail on Friday evening after he was granted bail on grounds of ill-health due to old age."
Interestingly, Pandey's release on bail was sought by none other than the jail authorities, who were finding it difficult to provide him the medical treatment and attention that his deteriorating condition demanded. "Pandey has been unwell for the past few months and it was becoming increasingly difficult to take care of him. We had to often shift him from the jail hospital to the local civil hospital for specialised treatment," Shiv Kumar Sharma, jail superintendent, told rediff.com over the telephone from Gorakhpur.
The centenarian convict was shifted back to Gorakhpur prison from hospital on Friday, just before being freed. "His bail documents were signed by his grandson, who came from Maharajganj to escort him home," said Sharma.
Weak and infirm, Pandey could hardly speak. He, however, expressed his delight by smiling and giving a warm hug to his fellow inmates, who garlanded him on his 'farewell'. All Pandey said was, "God is great!"
