Twitter
Advertisement

Man absolved of driving wife to suicide for dowry

Nafisha, 38, a mother of nine, had committed suicide by setting herself ablaze at her north-east Delhi residence in 2004.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

A man and his mother accused of driving his wife to commit suicide over dowry 22 years after their marriage have been acquitted by a city court in the absence of proof that they had meted out cruelty to her.

"Absolutely no evidence shows that either of the accused instigated or aided in commission of suicide of Nafisha or any demand for dowry was made," District Judge Sunita Gupta said while absolving Iqbal and her mother of the charge of dowry death, abatement to suicide and murder.

Thirty eight-year-old Nafisha, a mother of nine, committed suicide by setting herself ablaze at her north-east Delhi residence in 2004.

Iqbal and his mother Wahidan were accused of driving her to commit suicide. Wahidan was also charged with murder over allegations that she had set Nafisha on fire.

The court, however, noted that the two dying declarations made by Nafisha were contradictory regarding the cause of her burn and also about as to who set her on fire.

In the first dying declaration, she stated that her mother-in-law had poured kerosene on her and since she herself was fed up with the day-to-day quarrel, she set herself on fire.

Subsequently, she accused her mother-in-law of pouring kerosene oil on her and throwing a lit match stick on her.

She totally absolved her husband Iqbal, who removed her to the hospital with hundred percent burn injuries, of any wrongdoing.

One of their daughters, Rehana, also told the court that her mother had set herself on fire.

Nafisha's brother deposed in the court that Nafisha and Iqbal were staying with her in-laws after marriage and Wahidan used to quarrel with her.

The court also noted that there was no specific demand for dowry made by the accused.

"Committing of suicide by Nafisha by immolating herself, knowing fully well that she has nine children to look after, goes to show that everything was not well in her matrimonial life which compelled her to take this extreme step.

"This suspicion, however, cannot be a substitute for the proof of dowry demand or subjecting her to harassment and cruelty for offence under 498A IPC(Dowry death)," the court noted.

 

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement