High Court quashes life imprisonment sentence of in-laws

Burning case of a married woman: Court finds evidence doubtful

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court, has quashed the life imprisonment sentence awarded to a mother-in-law and sister-in-law in connection with the accidental death of a 30-year-old woman.

The bench, comprising Justice Vibha V Kankanwadi and Justice Abhay S Waghavase, observed that the dying declarations and other evidence, like the spot panchnama, were doubtful and unbelievable.

The woman, Maya Rajendra Patole, had died in April 2013 due to accidental burns. Her husband, Rajendra Baban Patole, mother-in-law Kamalbai, and two married sisters-in-law, Savita Machindra Salve and Chaya Bhausaheb Bhingardive, were convicted of murder by the District and Sessions Court and sentenced to life imprisonment.

However, the accused appealed the conviction in the High Court. Advocate Saeed Shaikh, appearing for the accused, argued that the dying declarations were recorded late and in the presence of the deceased's relatives, and that there were inconsistencies between the oral and written statements. He also argued that the deceased was administered sedatives during treatment, which could have affected her state of mind.

The High Court bench agreed with Shaikh's arguments and observed that the dying declarations were not reliable. The bench also found that the spot panchnama did not support the prosecution's case that the deceased had been burnt alive. As a result, the High Court acquitted the mother-in-law and sister-in-law of murder charges. The husband of the deceased had already died of a heart attack and one sister-in-law also passed away before the High Court could hear their appeal.