Maharashtra Court Acquits Man Accused Of Killing Wife By Setting Her On Fire

A sessions court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has recently acquitted a 33-year-old man accused of harassing and killing his wife by setting her on fire.

Sessions Judge AN Sirsikar delivered the verdict last month, concluding that the prosecution had not been able to prove any of the charges under sections 498(a) (harassment) and 302 (murder) of the IPC against the accused, Alpesh Jogwala.

The copy of the order passed on July 20 was made available on Monday.

As per the prosecution’s case, Jogwala, a resident of the adjoining Palghar district, married the victim, Aarti, in 2015. Soon after the wedding, it was alleged that he he allegedly started harassing her.

On December 21, 2015, it was claimed that Jogwala poured his wife in kerosene and set her ablaze. She died while undergoing treatment at the Thane Civil Hospital 5 days later, according to the prosecution’s alleged.

During her stay in the hospital, the victim reportedly provided dying declarations to a member of the village vigilance committee, an executive magistrate, and a police constable.

Appearing for the defence, Advocate Sunil Bhatia stated that there was no witness to the crime and all the 3 dying declarations were contradictory.

The presiding judge’s order noted that the couple resided with Jogwala’s brother and sister-in-law, yet the prosecution didn’t bring them forward as witnesses.

Further he observed that no evidence was produced in court to show that accused subjected his wife to cruelty and that her death was homicidal.

A sessions court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has recently acquitted a 33-year-old man accused of harassing and killing his wife by setting her on fire.

Sessions Judge AN Sirsikar delivered the verdict last month, concluding that the prosecution had not been able to prove any of the charges under sections 498(a) (harassment) and 302 (murder) of the IPC against the accused, Alpesh Jogwala.

The copy of the order passed on July 20 was made available on Monday.

As per the prosecution’s case, Jogwala, a resident of the adjoining Palghar district, married the victim, Aarti, in 2015. Soon after the wedding, it was alleged that he he allegedly started harassing her.

On December 21, 2015, it was claimed that Jogwala poured his wife in kerosene and set her ablaze. She died while undergoing treatment at the Thane Civil Hospital 5 days later, according to the prosecution’s alleged.

During her stay in the hospital, the victim reportedly provided dying declarations to a member of the village vigilance committee, an executive magistrate, and a police constable.

Appearing for the defence, Advocate Sunil Bhatia stated that there was no witness to the crime and all the 3 dying declarations were contradictory.

The presiding judge’s order noted that the couple resided with Jogwala’s brother and sister-in-law, yet the prosecution didn’t bring them forward as witnesses.

Further he observed that no evidence was produced in court to show that accused subjected his wife to cruelty and that her death was homicidal.