| Husband, in-laws acquitted in dowry death case | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 22 : 2nd Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu, M K Sharma has ordered the acquittal of a man and his four family members in a dowry death case after close relatives of the victim turned hostile.
Those acquitted included victim's husband Raj Kumar, mother-in-law Darshana Devi, father-in-law Sat Pal, brother-in-law Gulshan Kumar and sister-in-law Usha Rani.
Raj Kumar was married to Ashu Devi alias Shallu Devi in 2001 and the couple has two sons. Ashu died of burns at her in-laws' house on January 3, 2009. It was alleged that the accused used to harass and torture her to bring more dowry. On January 3, 2009, the accused allegedly beat her up, poured kerosene oil on her and then set her ablaze. After Ashu's paternal uncle Satish Kumar lodged a written report with Domana police station, an FIR under sections 498-A, 309 and 109 of RPC was registered and investigation taken up. During the course of investigation, offences under sections 302 and 201 of RPC were added. The judge, after hearing the counsel, observed that the prosecution case had become doubtful for the reason that the dying declaration had not been proved to be voluntary and the independent witnesses who had reached the spot immediately after the incident did not attribute the crime to the accused and close relatives of the victim, including her mother and real paternal uncles, had also not supported the prosecution version. So, on consideration of the evidence on record and broad probabilities, the court held the opinion that the evidence collected by the prosecution was insufficient to connect the accused with the commission of the alleged crime. With the result, the prosecution has failed to prove the case against the accused beyond doubt, the judge said. (JNF) |
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