Hyderabad: In a rare and compassionate gesture, Additional Junior Civil Judge Essampelli Sai Shiva of Bodhan, located in Telangana’s Nizamabad district, delivered a verdict from outside his courtroom to accommodate an elderly couple who were unable to physically attend the proceedings due to severe injuries.
The couple—Kantapu Gangaram and his wife Sayamma—were accused in 2021 under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code by their daughter-in-law. Over the span of nearly three years, the case witnessed close to 30 hearings and finally reached its conclusion this week.
However, a recent accident left both Gangaram and Sayamma with serious injuries that rendered them unable to walk. Still determined to be present for the verdict, the couple made the journey to the courthouse in an auto-rickshaw but found themselves physically incapable of entering the premises.
Moved by their condition, Judge Sai Shiva chose to step outside the courtroom and approach the couple directly in their vehicle. There, beside the parked auto-rickshaw, he pronounced the verdict—declaring them not guilty. The judge found that the evidence presented failed to substantiate the allegations, and thus acquitted them of all charges.
The judge’s compassionate act has been widely lauded by members of the legal fraternity and the general public alike. His actions have sparked broader conversations about the need for greater accessibility and sensitivity within India’s judicial infrastructure.
