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24 years on, HC grants interim bail to Sonia, husband in Punia family murder case

Court says Haryana’s rejection of premature release was “patently perverse” and ignored its own 2002 policy

4 min readChandigarhDec 12, 2025 12:16 AM IST

Punia family murder case, Sonia Poonia, Sonia Poonia interim bail, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Indian express news, current affairs

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has set aside the Haryana government’s decision rejecting premature release for Sonia Poonia, the prime convict in the 2001 Uklana family murder case, calling the State’s order “patently perverse, illegal and unsustainable in the eyes of law.” The court has ordered a fresh review of her case under the State’s 2002 premature release policy within two months and granted her interim bail in the meantime.

The killings took place in August 2001, when Sonia was accused of planning the murders of eight members of her family, including her father, former MLA Relu Ram Punia, her stepmother, siblings, sister-in-law and three minor children at their home in Uklana, Hisar. The prosecution alleged that property disputes and concerns over her son’s future drove the crime. Sonia’s judicial confession and a suicide note were central to the case. A Hisar court sentenced Sonia and her husband, Sanjeev Kumar, to death in 2004. The High Court later commuted the sentence, but the Supreme Court restored it in 2007 before reducing it to life imprisonment in 2014 due to delays in deciding their mercy petitions.

In a 25 page order dated December 9 in CRWP 10284 2024, Justice Surya Partap Singh quashed the August 6, 2024 order of the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) rejecting Sonia’s plea. Sonia, convicted on May 27, 2004, had approached the High Court after the State Level Committee cited 17 alleged jail offences and a supposed lack of remorse and recommended that she “shall remain in jail till her last breath.”

Justice Singh held that the rejection failed to follow Haryana’s Premature Release Policy dated April 12, 2002, which governs Sonia’s case. Under Clause 2(aa), convicts in serious cases whose death sentence has been commuted to life can be considered for release after serving 20 years of actual imprisonment and 25 years including remission. According to the judgment, Sonia has already completed over 23 years and 10 months of actual custody and more than 28 years and 10 months with remission, placing her beyond the minimum requirement.

The court found that the Home Department wrongly relied on alleged jail offences going back more than a decade, in violation of the policy. Clause 4(i) says only the last five years of conduct should be considered. “For the purpose of assessment of a prisoner for premature release, only the conduct of the petitioner in the last five years has to be looked into, but the impugned order shows that the jail offences committed by the petitioner during the period 2005 to 2018, too, have been taken into consideration,” the court observed.

Justice Singh also criticised the State Level Committee for going beyond its role by referring to trial stage material, including Sonia’s judicial confession, and by commenting on the gravity of the offence. “The quality of evidence has to be discussed either by the learned trial Court or the Court dealing with appeal. But the State Level Committee is not supposed to look into the quality of evidence,” the judgment said. Its recommendation that Sonia remain in prison “till her last breath” was described as an overreach, with the High Court citing the Constitution Bench ruling in Union of India v V Sriharan (2016) to stress that such conditions can only be imposed by courts.

Along with directing a fresh review of Sonia’s case under the April 12, 2002 policy, the court extended the same relief to her husband and co convict, Sanjeev Kumar. Both have been granted interim bail and are expected to be released from Hisar Central Jail after furnishing bonds before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Hisar.

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More

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