FOUR GET 5 YRS JAIL FOR DOWRY AND ABETTING SUICIDE

NAVIMUMBAI: The Thane sessions court on Wednesday awarded five years rigorous imprisonmenttofourmembersofafamily after the wife of the first accused committed suicide, alleging dowry harassment around six years ago.

The court also imposed a fine of ₹5,000 on each of them. In case they fail to pay the fine, they will have to undergo simple imprisonment for another one month, the court said.

According to the police, the incident took place in September 2013. The main accused, Naresh Kothari, 41, and Indrakumari (then 36) had married around 14 years before the incident. The couple also had two kids aged 13 and 7 (then).

Rajendra Chavan, senior inspector of Nerul police station said, “The couple did not have a smoothmarried life. Naresh and his family members would harass Indrakumari, asking for dowryfrom herparents.Shehad informed her parents about the harassment. Not being able to tolerate it, she ended her life in September 2013.”

After her death, her parents registered a complaint against herhusbandNareshKothari,his father Sukanraj Kothari, 65, younger brother, Hitesh Kothari, 34, and younger sister, Muniyaben Kothari, 33. They were arrested and booked under sections 498A and 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act. However, they were out on bail after a few days.

“We had collected evidences against all the accused to make it a watertight case. The court convicted them for the crime. They will soon be sent to jail again,” the police officer said.

IF THEY FAIL TO PAY THE FINE, THEY WILL HAVE TO UNDERGO SIMPLE IMPRISONMENT FOR ANOTHER ONE MONTH