5-year Jail for Man for Abetment to Wife’s Suicide
Mangaluru: The first additional district and sessions magistrate, C M Joshi, has handed out a five-year term of rigorous jail to Praveenchandra (35) of Mandadigudde in Bantwal taluk. He has also been fined Rs 25,000.
Praveenchandra, his mother Devaki (68) and his elder sister Sunita (37) had been accused of physically and mentally harassing his wife Chandrika, then aged Chandrika, which drove her hang herself and end her life.
They were married on March 20, 2011 and they lived with Devaki and Sunita. They began harrassing her on various pretext. Unable to stand it, Chandrika set up an independent home in Yekkur with the husband.
The mother-in-law and the sister-in-law kept coming there too and continued the harassment, according to the prosecution.
Eighteen witnesses including Chandrika’s parents deposed in favour of the prosecution during the hearing.
After hearing the arguments from both the sides, the magistrate ruled that he undergo 3-year rigorous imprisonment for abetment to suicide under IPC section 306, pay a fine of Rs 15,000, undergo a 9-month term in case of failure to pay fine and two-year RI for physical assault under IPC 498A and a fine of Rs 10,000 and undergo six-months’ term in jail, if fine was not paid.
The two women accused of the same charge have been acquitted. The magistrate has ruled that Praveenchandra shall undergo the punishment concurrently.
Out of the fine levied from the convict, the parents of Chandrika shall be paid Rs 20,000 as relief. Besides, they are entitled to compensation from the relief fund as admissible under the laws.
