10-year RI for man after pregnant wife commits suicide

Thane: A 36-year-old man from Mira Road has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for

dowry

death of eight-months pregnant wife. The victim committed

suicide

allegedly due to frequent harassment for dowry. She left a suicide note which mentioned that neither her in-laws nor her husband should touch her

corpse

after death.

S C Khalipe, the additional sessions judge, convicted Parag Sawant under Sections 304B (Dowry death) and 498A (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of IPC but acquitted Kavita Sawant 55, mother-in-law and handicapped brother-in-law Rupesh Vasudev Sawant, 32.

On July 28, 2008 the accused reported to police at about 7.30 am that he saw his wife, Deepali Sawant,

hanging

from the ceiling of their kitchen. Subsequently an accidental death report was registered at Mira road police station. The brother of deceased, Jitendra Shelke and her sister’s husband Manoj Galande rushed to apartment of the accused at Himalaya Complex. They become suspicious as Deepali was hanging from the ceiling with a plastic rope and her legs were touching the floor. Her hands were tied in front with a dupatta and considering that she was eight months pregnant, it would have been impossible for her to climb and entangle rope to the ceiling and commit suicide. The relatives suspected murder. The relative in the FIR, also alleged that there was demand for money form the accused which is why she was subjected to physical harassment. A case was registered under section 306 (Abetment of suicide), 498-A, 304-B of Indian Penal Code.

However, when father of the deceased, Chandrakant Shelke, filed writ petition in the high court for registering the offence also under section 302 (murder), as per the directions of high court offence under Section 302 of the IPC was added.

Based on the various circumstantial evidences and the medical report that the judge found that there is no cogent and conclusive proof that the accused have killed the deceased. Hence, the charge of murder was dropped.


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