THE DISTRICT court on Tuesday sentenced a man to ten years of rigorous imprisonment for abetting his wife to suicide. The woman had hanged herself to death last year.
Additional Sessions Judge V K Pandey convicted Ajay Agarwal for harassing his wife for dowry. Agarwal had married Neetu in Bhopal on May 12, 2005. Both were residents of Lucknow and had settled in Bhopal after their elopement and subsequent marriage in the Arya Samaj temple here.
However, Agarwal, who sold campaign material near the BJP office, used to demand Rs 5 lakh from Neetu for expanding his business.
She had committed suicide on September 15 last year as she was unable to bear the physical and mental torture inflicted on her.
The Habibganj police had booked Agarwal for harassment and dowry death. After investigation, the charge sheet was put up in the court.
The court held Agarwal guilty of harassing his wife and abetting her suicide. He was sentenced for three years and Rs 1,000 fine for demanding dowry. Besides, for abetment for suicide, he was sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. Both the sentences will run simultaneously.