State Of Maharashtra & Anr vs Najakat Alia Mubarak Ali

The Supreme Court interpreted Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, emphasizing that the period of detention as an under-trial prisoner must be set off against the sentence of imprisonment imposed for the same case. The Court clarified that this provision aims to prevent disproportionate punishment where an accused has already spent significant time in custody before conviction. The judgment reinforces the legislative intent to ensure fairness in sentencing by considering pre-conviction detention time, thereby upholding the rights of under-trial prisoners.