LIFE IMPRISONMENT TO HUSBAND

LIFE IMPRISONMENT TO HUSBAND

31-OCT-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

SASARAM-------------------------In a landmark and poignant ruling, a court in Sasaram (Rohtas district) has sentenced a man named Pankaj Singh to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his wife. Demonstrating exemplary civic duty, the accused's own father played a crucial role in bringing him to justice by reporting the crime and lodging the initial police complaint.

·       The Incident: The tragic incident occurred on February 18, 2022, in Tipa village under the Nauhatta police station jurisdiction.

·       The Dispute: The victim, Jyoti Singh (originally from Japla, Jharkhand, who married Pankaj in 2020 and had a young daughter with him), was talking on her mobile phone. Out of suspicion and anger over who she was speaking with, an argument broke out.

·       The Crime: When Jyoti did not respond and went to lie down on a bed, an enraged Pankaj took out an illegal country-made pistol (desi katta) and shot her at point-blank range in the head, killing her instantly.

In a rare and commendable turn of events, the accused's father, Rajेश्वर Singh (Rajeshwar Singh), refused to shield his son. Immediately following the murder, he informed the authorities and formally registered a First Information Report (FIR) against his own son at the Nauhatta police station. Prompted by this information, local police arrived swiftly at the scene, arrested Pankaj Singh, and recovered the murder weapon along with a spent cartridge.

The trial concluded with Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ-14) Prahlad Kumar finding Pankaj Singh guilty under relevant sections of the law and the Arms Act.

·       Prison Sentence: Life imprisonment (آजीवन कारावास).

·       Fine: A monetary penalty of ₹20,000. The court ruled that failure to pay the fine will result in an additional term of imprisonment.

·       Testimonies: The prosecution successfully established guilt through a thorough trial backed by the testimonies of 10 witnesses.