NRI acquitted of abetting wife’s suicide, to serve at blind school

A Delhi court has directed a Canadian NRI to perform community service in the School for Blind for six months, as he abandoned his wife, and later, she committed suicide at her home in New Delhi in 2004. The court acquitted him for abetting her suicide.

A Delhi court has directed a Canadian NRI to perform community service in the School for Blind for six months, as he abandoned his wife, and later, she committed suicide at her home in New Delhi in 2004. The court acquitted him for abetting her suicide.

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Additional sessions judge Kamini Lau said, "The husband inflicts mental cruelty and harassment to his wife by abandoning her at paternal house. Depriving her of cohabitation and his company, which leads to death of the wife on account of suicide, there is no reason why he cannot be, convicted for section 498 A (Domestic Violence Act)."

A case was registered at Mukherjee Nagar in north Delhi, against one Pawan Dass for abetment of his wife's suicide and domestic violence. Richa had hung herself at home, as she realised Pawan had abandoned her in India and went back to his first wife and their child residing in Canada.

Prabhjit Jauhar counsel for Pawan told the court, "He is the sole bread earner and even has a minor child aged about four-and-half-years-old, whose custody has been granted to him by the Canadian court."

Taking a lenient view, the judge said Pawan shall render service in the School for Blind for a period of six months, for at least three days in a week for a minimum period of one hour on each day.

The judge said, "In case of absenteeism or breach of condition of probation, the convict Pawan Dass shall have to undergo imprisonment for a period of one year."

The court also observed that a large number of cases have come to light where NRIs have been exploiting young qualified Indian women in the name of marriage.