Cannot convict husband without proof, says court

NEW DELHI: It is a heinous crime to hang one’s wife to death but a husband cannot be convicted without any reliable evidence, a Delhi court has said, while acquitting a man and his family members in a murder and dowry death case.

The court freed the man, his father and two sisters, all from east Delhi, saying there was no cogent evidence that the woman was subjected to cruelty or harassment for demand of dowry.

“While it is proved that husband being the companion in the house ought to be able to explain as to the circumstances under which his wife was found hanged in the bedroom but there also exists an obligation on the part of the prosecution to prove the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubt...

“Undoubtedly, it is a social and heinous crime to have the wife hanged to death but without any proper and reliable evidence, the court cannot by itself justify its conclusion of murder by the husband,” additional sessions judge Sanjeev Kumar Malhotra said.

The court said prosecution failed to prove the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt, benefit of which must go in favour of the accused.