Dhani Ram @ Mani Ram Vs State of NCT of Delhi — Delhi HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Dhani Ram @ Mani Ram Vs State of NCT of Delhi — Delhi HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Appeal abated on the appellant's death and disposed of; compliance directions issued for use of the disbursed compensation for the child victim's education and well-being through DSLSA and the orphanage, with a further DSLSA report, attendance of an orphanage official, and a Jail Superintendent's report on the demise; compliance listing on 23 September 2026.

Issue for consideration

Whether the appeal abates on account of the death of the appellant while in jail. +1 more

Court's answer

The appeal stands abated owing to the appellant's death while in jail.

Ratio / Principle

The Secretary, DSLSA is directed to contact the Orphanage, i.e., Udaan Children Home for Girls, Aradhya Marg, Near Red Cross Hospital, Dilshad Garden, where the victim is presently residing, and create a mechanism through which the disbursed money is actually used for the education and well-being of the child victim; DSLSA to file a further report in compliance with the order.

Key takeaways

An official from the Orphanage where the victim is residing shall remain present in Court on the next date of hearing; notice to be sent by the IO to the Orphanage.ratio¶19
Copy of the order to be sent to the concerned Jail Superintendent, who is to send a report regarding the demise of the Appellant for maintaining the same on the record.ratio¶20

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Delhi High Court, CRL.A. 83/2026, order dated 22.07.2026 (Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Vikas Mahajan): criminal appeal abated and disposed of upon the death in jail of the appellant, Dhani Ram @ Mani Ram, the death having been confirmed through SI Vikas, PS-Hari Nagar. DSLSA reported that victim compensation had earlier remained undisbursed as the victim was untraced; the victim has since been traced and the compensation disbursed on 09.06.2026. The Secretary, DSLSA is directed to contact Udaan Children Home for Girls, Aradhya Marg, Near Red Cross Hospital, Dilshad Garden, where the child victim resides, and create a mechanism to ensure the disbursed funds are used for her education and well-being, with a further report to be filed; an official of the orphanage is to attend the next hearing (notice by the IO); the Jail Superintendent is to report the demise for the record; compliance listed for 23.09.2026.

$~8

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

- CRL.A. 83/2026

DHANI RAM @ MANI RAM .....Appellant Through: Ms. Anu Narula, DHCLSC

versus

STATE OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Ritesh Kumar Bahri, APP for State with Mr. Lalit Luthra and Mr. Randeep Kumar, Advocates (M: 9910645959) with SI Rohit, PSUttam Nagar. Mr. B. Badrinath (DHCLSC) & Mr. Dhruv Bhardwaj, Advocate for DSLSA (M) 9910096132

CORAM: JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUSTICE VIKAS MAHAJAN

O R D E R % 22.07.2026

This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.

CRL.M.(BAIL) 147/2026

Appellant’s Counsel Ms. Anu Narula submits that she was coordinating with the Appellant in jail and in that process, she has been informed that Appellant has expired while being in jail itself.

This fact is confirmed through SI Vikas, PS-Hari Nagar.

Under these circumstances, the present appeal stands abated.

Mr. B. Badrinath, learned counsel appearing on behalf of DSLSA submits that as per the earlier report of DSLSA, compensation could not be

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 24/07/2026 at 11:57:45

disbursed due to the victim having not been traced.

Now the victim has been traced and compensation has been disbursed on 9^th June, 2026. The Secretary, DSLSA shall contact the Orphanage, i.e., Udaan Children Home for Girls, Aradhya Marg, Near Red Cross Hospital, Dilshad Garden, where the victim is presently residing and create some mechanism through which the money, which has been disbursed can actually be used for the education and well-being of the child victim. The DSLSA shall file a further report in this matter in compliance with today's order.

An official from the Orphanage where the Victim is residing, shall also remain present in the Court on the next date of hearing. Notice shall be sent by the IO to the Orphanage.

Copy of this order be sent to the concerned Jail Superintendent to send a report regarding the demise of the Appellant for maintaining the same on the record.

Appeal stands abated and is disposed of. List for compliance on 23^rd September, 2026.

PRATHIBA M. SINGH, J.

VIKAS MAHAJAN, J.

JULY 22, 2026/ jg/ss

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 24/07/2026 at 11:57:45