Patna High Court revokes death penalty of Arrah court blast accused Lambu Sharma

PATNA: In a significant judgment, the Patna High Court has granted major relief to Lambu Sharma and other convicts in the Arrah Civil Court blast case. The court acquitted Lambu Sharma of the death penalty, providing him with substantial relief. However, it upheld the convictions of Lambu Sharma and Akhilesh Upadhyay in connection with the charge of escaping from jail.

Additionally, the High Court set aside life imprisonment sentences of several other accused, including Rinku Yadav, Pramod Singh, Shyam Vinay Sharma, Chand Miyan, Naim Miyan and Anshu Kumar, acquitting them of the charges.

The verdict was delivered by a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo.

The Bench had earlier reserved its judgment on February 12, 2026, after completing hearings on appeals challenging the lower court’s order.

During the proceedings, the court directed the state government to ensure the online presence of all convicts, noting that they were lodged in different jails.

It also instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide legal counsel to inform the convicts about the ongoing hearings.