Minor Jailed, Misses Board Exams, Administration Says He Was Freed On Time

A 17-year-old student in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol missed his Class 12 English board exam on Tuesday after being jailed as an adult. Satyam Prajapati, a Congress worker, claims he was released only hours before the test began, but it was too late to effectively appear.

"I am 17 and a half years old. I was released from jail at 6 am. A policeman gave me 50 rupees and told me to go and take my exam. I missed my exam and was late. Our senior leaders refused to recognise me," he said.

The incident began on February 8 during a visit by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav. As the Chief Minister's convoy passed through Shahdol, Congress workers attempted to wave black flags in protest. Police say the situation briefly turned chaotic, and Shahdol Collector Kedar Singh reportedly used a baton to disperse the crowd.

That evening, around 40 Congress workers were detained for preventive action and produced before Budhar Tehsildar Sumit Kumar Gurjar. While 37 were granted bail, Satyam and two others were denied and sent to Budhar jail at 10 pm.

The core of the controversy lies in Satyam's age. His lawyer, Pradeep Singh, maintains that Satyam is 17 years and 8 months old, making him a minor. Under the Juvenile Justice Act, minors cannot be held in adult jails.

According to Satyam's lawyer, Pradeep Singh, Aadhaar and marksheet documents proved Satyam's date of birth as May 22, 2008, making him legally under 18. The Tehsildar reportedly agreed to release him after verification, but formalities were delayed.

He said three individuals, including Satyam, were charged under Section 151 and sent to jail. Efforts were being made at the tehsil office to secure bail for all three Satyam, Sunny, and Ashu Chaudhary.

"I personally submitted his Aadhaar card and marksheet to prove he was born on May 22, 2008," the lawyer said. He alleged that despite providing land papers as surety, the administration delayed the bail process until the evening of the exam. 

"When we raised this issue, the administration appeared uncomfortable. They then said they would grant bail to one minor and release the others the next day. We insisted that bail be granted to all three, or else reject the applications outright. They neither rejected the bail nor granted it. Instead, they returned the application and the lease documents," the advocate said.

The Shahdol district administration has flatly rejected Satyam's version of events. In an official press release, authorities claimed that they were never provided proof of being a minor to the police or the Tehsildar.

The administration insists that Satyam was released at 6 am, two hours before the exam, and was even provided with a police escort to ensure he reached the city. They alleged that the student "deliberately" chose not to appear for the test and that the news of his being "deprived" of the exam is misleading.

While the police say they processed the arrest based on the age Satyam initially provided, the student's lawyer insists the paperwork was available to officials well before the exam deadline passed.