Ghaziabad Court Hands Life Sentence for Wife's Murder
An additional district and sessions court in Ghaziabad delivered a significant verdict on Saturday. The court sentenced Rahul, a resident of Madhuban Bapudham, to life imprisonment. He was found guilty of murdering his wife by suffocation. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 11,000 on the convict.
Medical Evidence Proved Crucial
The court convicted Rahul under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Medical evidence played a decisive role in the judgment. The evidence conclusively established that Jyoti's death resulted from suffocation. The deliberate blocking of her mouth and nose caused her death.
The prosecution presented the testimony of the doctor who conducted the post-mortem. The doctor stated that Jyoti died due to asphyxiation. This condition occurs when someone is deprived of oxygen. The doctor clarified that such a death could only happen if both the mouth and nose were forcibly closed.
The court made a clear observation about the medical findings. "When this is medically established that death occurred by asphyxiation, it is not possible for anyone to hold their breath until death," the court noted. This statement effectively negated any possibility of suicide.
Case Background and Investigation
The case originated from an FIR registered at Kavinagar police station on June 12, 2020. Suraj, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, filed the complaint. He stated that his cousin Jyoti married Rahul on April 22, 2016.
According to the complaint, Rahul started harassing Jyoti for dowry soon after their marriage. After prolonged torture, Jyoti was killed on June 12, 2020. Based on this complaint, police registered a case under multiple sections.
The charges included sections 498A, 323, and 304B of the IPC. The case also involved Section 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. After police filed a chargesheet, the court took cognisance of the matter. The sessions court then conducted the trial.
Witness Testimonies and Court Proceedings
The prosecution examined ten witnesses during the trial. These included family members, neighbors, and the doctor. The defense counsel alleged false implication of the accused. However, the court rejected this argument.
The court held that medical findings clearly pointed to murder. While convicting Rahul for murder and causing hurt, the court acquitted him of dowry-related charges. The judge noted that the prosecution failed to prove any dowry demand before the incident.
Family members did not corroborate claims of dowry demands. "All the witnesses denied the demand for dowry by the accused, and also denied the cruelty related to the demand for dowry," the judge stated.
Judge Dr. Dinesh Chandra Shukla explained the legal reasoning. "Thus, the essential ingredients of Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code, namely, demand for dowry and cruelty related to the demand for dowry, were not proven," he held.
Final Verdict and Legal Outcome
Accordingly, the court convicted Rahul under sections 302 and 323 of the IPC. The court acquitted him of charges under sections 498A and 304B of the IPC. He was also acquitted under Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
The life imprisonment sentence reflects the severity of the crime. The fine of Rs 11,000 adds to the punishment. This case highlights how courts rely on medical evidence in murder trials. It also shows the importance of witness testimony in establishing facts.
Ghaziabad's judicial system has demonstrated thorough examination of evidence. The verdict brings some closure to a tragic case of domestic violence. However, the acquittal on dowry charges indicates the challenges in proving such allegations.
