A Kandivli resident and his mother, who harassed the man’s wife so relentlessly for dowry that she killed herself and her two children, were sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment.
The harassed woman had killed her two children before committing suicide
MUMBAI: A Kandivli resident and his mother, who harassed the man’s wife so relentlessly for dowry that she killed herself and her two children, were sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment.
Unable to bear the harassment meted out by Rajesh Bhat and his mother Geeta, Jagruti burnt herself with her 2½-year-old daughter Jyoti and two-month-old son Mitesh.
Judge SN Sardesai further ordered the mother and son to pay a fine of Rs1,000 each.
“It was gruesome,” prosecutor Nilima Kasture said. “The police found a piece of skin sticking to the wall in Jagruti’s room and bits of her clothing strewn on the floor. Her suicide note came to her aid in obtaining justice for her and her children.”
Kasture said that unlike most others, Jagruti’s family and her neighbours stood by her even in death and gave complete evidence. Jagruti’s own dying declarations - both oral and formal - clinched the conviction.
Advocate Ashok Saraogi, appearing for the accused, asked that the sentence be suspended for a few days to enable the accused to put their affairs in order before going to jail. Kasture objected but agreed that the convicts may be taken under police escort to lock up their homes and collect a few essentials.
Bhupen Jain, Jagruti’s father, testified that Rajesh and Jagruti lived at Kandivli and had a peaceful married life for a year after they wed in 2000. Thereafter, Geeta started harassing Jagruti for dowry. It came to a stage where Jagruti was prevented from making any contact with her maternal family after Jyoti’s birth. Finally, on August 25, 2003, at 9:30pm, Bhupen heard from a neighbour that Jagruti and her children were in Bhagwati Hospital. He reached there to find that Jyoti had died and Jagruti had sustained 70 per cent burns.
He broke down in court when he described how Jagruti thought Mitesh would recover and repeatedly asked Bhupen to promise to look after him.
Jagruti’s neighbour Archana Dhumal and sister Dimple also testified on her behalf.
cooperd@dnaindia.net
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