Man gets lifer for murdering his wife

Mumbai, Sep 16 (UNI) A local court today convicted a man to rigorous life imprisonment for murdering his wife in 1998.

Additional Sessions Judge B M Jethani found Anil Raghunath Vishwakarma guilty of murdering his wife Sushama (28) under section 302 and 498 A of the Indian Penal Code.

The judge also slapped a fine of Rs 30,000 and in default he had to undergo another one year term.

According to prosecution, the accused had burnt his wife on January 16, 1998, at 2230 hrs inside his house situated in Shantinagar area under Vakola police station after pouring kerosene on her.

She was immediately taken to Fauzi Hospital at Vakola by the accused himself. Her parents staying in Mumbai was also informed by a neighbour about the incident. The father of the deceased then shifted her to another hospital as her condition deteriorated where she succumbed to her injuries on January 31.

In her dyeing declaration recorded before special executive officer, she said she was burnt by her husband. A quarrel had erupted on that fateful day between the two as her husband suspected her of having an affair with a boy in the same locality.

She also said that her husband harassed her for dowry.

However, the court had acquitted Raghunath Vishwakarma and Amravati Raghunath from the charges - father and mother of the accused arrested under section 498 A, who were at their native place Varanasi on the day of the incident.

In all 12 witnesses were examined including her father and mother in this case.

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