A court in Prayagraj has sentenced husband Sandeep Bhartiya to life imprisonment for the murder of his pregnant wife over dowry. Additional District and Sessions Judge Manoj Kumar Mishra II delivered this verdict. The court made this decision considering dowry harassment and murder as serious offenses.
What was the case?
Complainant Pawan Kumar lodged a complaint at Jhansi Police Station on March 21, 2019. He alleged that his sister, Aarti Bhartiya, was married to Sandeep Bhartiya in 2015. In March 2019, Sandeep Bhartiya, along with others, poured kerosene on his nine-month pregnant sister Aarti and set her on fire.
Aarti was admitted to Swaroop Rani Hospital, where she died during treatment. The accused, Sandeep Bhartiya, denied the allegations in his statement. After examining the oral and documentary evidence presented by the prosecution, the court found that the woman died due to being set on fire after kerosene was poured on her. Consequently, the fetus in her womb also died.
Court's Message
Through this verdict, the court has sent a message to society that incidents of dowry harassment and murder will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will face severe punishment. This decision is a b step towards protecting women's rights and combating the practice of dowry.
Other Related Cases
Recently, in Ghazipur, a husband was also sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in a dowry death case. This clearly indicates that legal action and penalties against the practice of dowry are being made stricter.
