Woman kills husband; HC confirms life imprisonment

CHENNAI: A Division Bench of Madras High Court had confirmed the life term imprisonment imposed on a woman for murdering her husband along with another man who was allegedly in an illicit relationship with the woman.

The bench comprising Justice PN Prakash and Justice AA Nakkiran passed the orders on dismissing a criminal appeal filed by the petitioner who was convicted by the additional sessions judge, Krishnagiri on March 16, 2021.

The petitioner prayed for a direction to set aside the conviction of life imprisonment and the Rs 5,000 penalty awarded by the sessions court under Section 302 of IPC.

The bench dismissed the petition by citing a verdict of the Supreme Court in the case of Sidhartha Vashisht @ Manu Sharma Vs. State NCT of Delhi in 2008.

"In a case of such a grave nature, that it would not be appropriate to grant suspension of sentence and bail to the petitioner and accordingly, this petition stands dismissed," the judges held.

Advocate R Sankarasubbu, appearing for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner was in police custody and that is why, she did not participate even in the death ceremonies of her husband and, therefore, the alleged confession was that was given by the petitioner before the Village Administrative Officer is of no relevance.

However, APP Muniyapparaj pointed out that two witnesses in the case had confirmed that the petitioner had confessed her act of murder along with one Raji who had illicit contact with her.

On recording the submissions, the bench confirmed the life term imprisonment for the woman.

The case is the petitioner had established an illicit contact with her husband Pazhani's friend Raji. Since Pazhani came to know about the issue, he allegedly tortured the petitioner suspecting her fidelity. Therefore, the petitioner and Raji made a conspiracy to eliminate Pazhani and executed their plan in the Chendrayan hills on February 24, 2009.