The Supreme Court on 27 October 2026 set aside the direction requiring Raju Shantaram Koli to serve consecutive life sentences for offences tried together, while maintaining his convictions and remaining sentence terms.
Judge / Bench — Justices K. V. Viswanathan and Arun Palli; judgment by Justice K. V. Viswanathan.
Applying the Constitution Bench ruling in Muthuramalingam, the Court held that multiple life sentences in a single trial cannot run one after another because life imprisonment ordinarily lasts for the remainder of a person’s life. It directed that the sentences be superimposed: remission or commutation of one does not automatically affect the other. The appeal challenging the consecutive terms was partly allowed; the separate appeal concerning his writ petition became infructuous.
Advocates appearing — Appellant — M.Y. Deshmukh, Advocate; respondent State of Maharashtra — Bharat Bagla, Advocate.