Man gets 5 yrs jail for harassing wife, abetting suicide

, Sept 24: A 25-year-old man has been sent to five years in

for harassing his wife and abetting her

by a Delhi

, which said such "serious and grave" offences create a sense of "insecurity" in women in their marital home.

Additional Sessions Judge Yashwant Kumar said the injuries found on the body of the woman cannot be the result of hanging only and there was definite role of convict Amrender Singh in the abetment of his wife Sunita's suicide.

"No doubt, women are known for their calm state of mind, nobleness and generosity. Cruelty and harassment with the abetment of suicide are serious and grave offences which create a continuous sense of insecurity in women in their matrimonial home," the court observed. It also imposed a fine of Rs 17,000 on Singh and said that out of this, Rs 10,000 be given to the father of the victim as compensation.

"It was the intended and direct act of the accused which resulted in the injuries on the person of deceased Sunita, which left no option with her but to commit suicide... (these injuries) cannot be the effect of hanging herself by Sunita. Meaning thereby abetment is not missing in this case. There was a definite role of the accused for abetment of suicide. Therefore, there is a presumption as to the abetment of suicide by Sunita against the accused. Thus, the prosecution has been able to prove by oral testimony of prosecution witnesses coupled with documentary evidence that Sunita was subjected to cruelty and harassment by accused and further he abeted her to commit suicide," the judge said.

According to police, on the intervening night of September 21-22, 2008, Sunita was found hanging in her matrimonial home. Her parents told the police that Sunita had got married to Singh in May, 2004 and he used to harass her and also them under the influence of liquor.

The couple had a daughter. A case was lodged against Singh at Rohini police station. The victim's parents had told the court that their daughter had complained to them that Singh used to beat her as he wanted more dowry from them.

The court also rejected the plea of Singh that he never demanded any dowry from his wife or her parents. "It is pertinent to mention here that it is not a case of dowry death but the case of abetment of suicide, therefore, plea taken by the accused that he never demanded any dowry cannot be sustained," the court said.

PTI