Kanpur: Special court PC Act/additional sessions judge court, Kanpur Nagar, on Wednesday convicted Ashok Vishwakarma to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000 for killing his wife. The prosecution charged the accused with dowry death and murder, but during the trial the court discharged the accused from dowry charges (498A IPC). The court, however, punished him when the prosecution proved that the murder was committed by the accused husband. According to ADGC Shiv Bhagwan Goswami, the judge in her order said that the general rule under 302 IPC was life imprisonment and capital punishment was the exception. In the present case, in view of the circumstances, nature of the crime, and seriousness, the accused was liable to be punished with life imprisonment for committing murder. She also observed in her order, “If the accused fails to pay the fine, then he is to suffer another three months’ jail term”. The ADGC stated that Rahul Singh, brother of the deceased Priyanka in an FIR lodged by Rahul Singh on July 10, 2020, stated that his younger sister (Priyanka) was married to Ashok Vishwakarma, a resident of Kidwai Nagar. She has 3 children—one daughter and two sons.Her husband used to torture and thrash Priyanka regularly. He and others asked him several times not to engage in physical violence. On July 10, 2020, Priyanka’s neighbours informed him that Ashok killed Priyanka by hitting her with an iron rod which was lying on the premises.On the quantum of sentence, the defence pleaded that as the accused was a poor man who had no criminal histor therefore, the court should take a lenient view. On the other hand, the prosecution pleaded for strict punishment.
