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Chandigarh: 6 months after woman’s death, husband booked for murder, cruelty
As there were injury marks on Sagota’s neck, feet and other parts of his daughter’s body, Bhaskar alleged that she was subjected to physical cruelty; but police refused to register a case, forcing him to move court
Six months after a city-based woman’s death in December 2023, police have booked her husband for murder and subjecting her to cruelty in compliance with a court order.
Following the death of Sagota Nath on December 2, 2023, her brother had found injury marks on her neck, feet and other parts of his daughter’s body.
While her father, Bhaskar Nath, had approached the police, they had projected it as a case of suicide and refused to register a case. The harried father had eventually moved court. In May, the court of judicial magistrate first class Abhimanyu Rajput had directed police to lodge an FIR against Sagota’s husband Sachin Bhardwaj, a resident of Mauli Jagran.
Now, police have booked Bhardwaj under Sections 498-A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of the Indian Penal Code at the Mauli Jagran police station.
Bhaskar Nath, a resident of Baltana, had told police that his daughter had gone missing on October 8, 2023, and a missing report was lodged with the police the next day. Eventually, he learnt that his daughter had married Sachin Bhardwaj.
Nath informed the court, after marriage, Sachin and her family members subjected Sagota to cruelty for dowry. She was even denied basic amenities and not permitted to talk to her family.
He alleged that on December 2, 2023, Sachin and Sagota visited her paternal uncle’s house, where she asked for food, saying she was hungry.
Nath alleged that Sachin demanded money from his brother and on being turned down, he dragged Sagota out of the house, threatening to teach them a lesson.
The father further alleged that at 9.47 pm, Sachin telephonically informed him that his daughter had ended her life and her body was at the Panchkula civil hospital.
As there were injury marks on Sagota’s neck, feet and other parts of his daughter’s body, Nath alleged that she was subjected to physical cruelty. But police refused to register a case, forcing him to move court.
