MRIDULA DEVI vs UOI AND OTHERS

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Judgment Reserved on: 24.04.2026 % Judgment Delivered on: 04.06.2026 + LPA 143/2025 MRIDULA DEVI .....Appellant versus UOI AND OTHERS .....Respondents Advocates who appeared in this case For the Appellant : Mr. I. C. Mishra and Dr. Balmiki Prasad, Advocates. For the Respondents : Ms. Nidhi Banga, Senior Panel Counsel with Mr. Sandeep Choudhary, Advocate for R-1 to 3/UOI. CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TEJAS KARIA JUDGMENT TEJAS KARIA, J INTRODUCTION 1. This Letters Patent Appeal is filed assailing the judgment and order dated 06.08.2024 (“Impugned Judgment”) passed in Writ Petition being W.P.(C) 15038/2021 titled as ‘Smt. Mridula Devi v. Union of India & Ors.’ (“Writ Petition”) partly allowing the Writ Petition and order dated 22.11.2024 (“Modification Order”) rejecting the claim for modification of Signature Not Verified LPA 143/2025 Page 1 of 15 Signed By:NEELAM SHARMA Signing Date:04.06.2026 14:35:07 the Impugned Judgment passed in an Application being C.M. No. 67811/2024 (“Modification Application”). FACTUAL MATRIX 2. The Appellant is the widow of Late Rama Nand Singh (“R. N. Singh”), who participated in the Quit India Movement of 1942. On 10.08.1942, a criminal case, being G.R. 572/1942 titled as Emperor v. Sheetal Prasad Singh & Ors. (“G.R. 572/1942”), was registered against R. N. Singh and his associates under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Madhubani, Bihar (“SDM”). 3. After several unsuccessful attempts by the SDM to arrest R. N. Singh during the period from 1942 to 1944, the SDM, vide order dated 12.03.1945, issued a proclamation and attachment under Section 82 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (“CrPC”) against him. Thereafter, vide order dated