NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Elizabeth, NJ, February 17, 2026: A Pennsylvania man whose murder conviction was overturned after more than four decades in prison has been denied bail while he challenges deportation proceedings, leaving him in federal immigration custody instead of free following his release from state prison.
Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, 64, will remain detained as he appeals a 1999 deportation order tied to a decades-old drug conviction. An immigration judge ruled Tuesday that his detention is required under federal law or, alternatively, that he could still pose a public safety risk.
Vedam’s case has drawn attention because he was released from prison in October after a Pennsylvania judge threw out his murder conviction in the 1980 death of a college friend. The court found that prosecutors had failed to disclose key ballistics evidence during his trials. Instead of returning home, Vedam was immediately taken into custody by federal immigration authorities.
At Tuesday’s bail hearing, his attorney, Ava Bench, argued that he is not a danger to the community and that his remaining criminal record stems from minor offenses committed more than 40 years ago.
“He is not a danger to the community. We are talking about offenses that occurred over 40 years ago,” she said.
Immigration Judge Tamar Wilson, however, said Vedam must remain detained because of the felony drug conviction. She also agreed with federal officials who argued that his conduct still raises safety concerns.
The Board of Immigration Appeals recently agreed to hear Vedam’s challenge to the deportation order, citing “exceptional circumstances.” No hearing date has been scheduled to determine whether he can remain in the United States.
Vedam came to the U.S. legally from India as an infant when his parents settled in State College, Pennsylvania. His father was a well-known professor at Penn State.
Vedam is currently being held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility while his appeal proceeds. If he loses, he could be deported to India — a country he has not lived in since infancy.
For now, the man whose conviction was overturned after decades in prison remains in custody — fighting a new legal battle over whether he will be allowed to stay in the country he has called home nearly his entire life.
