Indian man spent 43 years in US jail for murder he didn't commit; now faces deportation by ICE

Subramanyam 'Subu' Vedam, 64, has spent much of his adult life in prison for a crime he did not commit. When he was a 20-year-old student at State College, Pennsylvania, Vedam was wrongfully convicted for the murder of his friend and sentenced to life without parole.

Now, 43, years later, he is a free man — but Vedam's troubles are far from over. He now faces deportation to India — a country he left when he was just nine months old.

Freed from prison after 43 years

On the morning of October 3, Subramanyam Vedam walked out of Huntingdon State Correctional Institution, the Pennsylvania prison where he had spent the last 43 years.

The Indian-origin man was freed after a court found that prosecutors had concealed evidence that would have dismantled the case against him, proving his innocence, reported The Miami Herald.

However, upon his release, Vedam was immediately taken into custody by officers of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His family, waiting at home, learnt that he would remain in custody as a federal government detainee.

Vedam in ICE custody

"To our disappointment, on Friday Oct 3rd, 2025 Subu was transferred to ICE custody. He is currently being held at Moshannon Valley Processing Center," Vedam's family said in a statement posted on the 'Free Subu' website that is dedicated to his case.

"This immigration matter is a remnant of Subu's original case. Since that wrongful conviction has been officially vacated, and the charges against Subu have been dismissed, we have asked the immigration court to re-open the immigration case and account for the fact that Subu has been exonerated," the statement said.

Deportation order

ICE has cited a deportation order dating back to the 1980s in taking Vedam into custody. The deportation order was tied not only to his murder conviction — which has been overturned — but also to an earlier drug conviction.

At the age of 19, Vedam had pleaded guilty to intent to distribute LSD. His family describes it as a youthful mistake.

India-born Vedam was ordered to be deported at the time, but the deportation was never carried out as he was serving a life sentence.

In a statement sent to the Miami Herald, ICE said: "Pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act, individuals who have exhausted all avenues of immigration relief and possess standing removal orders are priorities for enforcement.

"ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) notes that Mr. Vedam, a career criminal with a rap sheet dating back to 1980, is also a convicted controlled substance trafficker.

"Mr. Vedam will be held in ICE custody while the agency arranges for his removal in accordance with all applicable laws and due-process requirements".