Ghaziabad: Woman, male friend get life in jail for killing her husband

According to the prosecution, the crime took place in March 2016 in Bhojpur, Modinagar. The convicts shot dead the man and later subjected him to an electric shock to make it look like he died of an electrocution

A Ghaziabad court on Wednesday convicted a woman and her male friend of killing the woman’s husband in March 2016 and sentenced them to life in prison, the prosecution officials said on Friday.

The two convicts, Kaushalya Devi, mother of four daughters, and her male friend Ashok Prajapati were awarded life imprisonment besides a fine of ₹50,000 each after being convicted under the Indian Penal Code sections for murder and destruction of evidence with common intention (Shutterstock/representational image)

According to the prosecution, the crime took place in March 2016 in Bhojpur, Modinagar. The convicts shot dead the man and later subjected him to an electric shock to make it look like he died of an electrocution.

The two convicts, Kaushalya Devi, mother of four daughters, and her male friend Ashok Prajapati were awarded life imprisonment besides a fine of ₹50,000 each after being convicted under the Indian Penal Code sections for murder and destruction of evidence with common intention.

Mukesh Kumar, a cousin of victim Pramod Kumar, told the court about what had transpired in his chief examination. He said Devi and Prajapati had an extramarital relationship and about two and half years before the murder, she had eloped with Prajapati and returned about 40 days later.

“My brother forgave her and took her back. My three relatives Satvir Singh, Daya Nand and Mahesh Singh saw Parjapati fleeing from my brother’s house around 3am on the night of the incident. Later, Devi informed my other brother Sanjay that her husband had died of electrocution. So, we informed the police,” Mukesh told the court.

The second prosecution witness, Satvir Singh, said deceased Pramod was his brother-in-law.

“On late night of March 2 and 3, 2016, I and Daya Nand were irrigating our agricultural fields when we spotted Prajapti fleeing from Pramod’s house with a weapon and an electricity cable in his hands...,” Singh said.

The prosecution produced 10 more witnesses in the case.

“The prosecution was able to prove that the two convicted persons were in an extramarital relationship. We also proved that there were calls between the two on the night of the incident. Prajapati also gave SIM card to the woman which was procured using his ID. The eyewitnesses also saw him fleeing from Pramod’s house on the night of the incident,” said Rajesh Sharma, district government counsel.

“The two subjected the victim’s body to electric shocks to make it appear that he died of electrocution. The autopsy however found two gunshot wounds in the body. Both were awarded life imprisonment on Wednesday,” Sharma added.

The court of sessions judge Anil Kumar, in its order on January 31, said, “The prosecution was able to prove two facts; first, that the two convicted person were having a relationship, and, second, Ashok was seen moving out of house of deceased Pramod besides the two convicts also exchanged several telephonic calls on the night of the incident... Both Ashok and Kaushalya are awarded life imprisonment for charges under IPC section for murder with common intention...”