Calling it a “sorry state of affairs”, the Bombay HC observed that while on one hand, the legislature and judiciary are taking steps for sensitisation of offences against women, on the other, investigations by the police are being carried out in a casual manner. The court rejected the bail application of a man arrested in connection with his wife’s death.
While rejecting the bail of Raju Suresh Yadav, Justice Sadhana S. Jadhav, ruled, “The police was influenced by the accused with the intervention of Thane municipal councilor and the chargesheet was filed with an ulterior motive to see that the accused is acquitted.”
On March 20, 2012, Badlapur resident Yadav had taken his wife Sugwantidevi to a hospital at around 1.50 pm. Upon examination, the doctor declared her dead. Mr Yadav did not report the incident to the police.
On February 7, 2013, at the instance of Kachhwa police in UP, the report which was lodged by the deceased’s brother Santalal Yadav with the Kachhwa police station was treated as an FIR and registered at Badlapur police station against the applicant and five others, for the offence punishable under Sections 498A, 304B, 201 of the IPC and Section 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. While four others were granted regular bail, two were granted bail under Section 439 of the CrPC. The present application was filed by the husband.
The investigation papers would reveal that the API who is the investigating officer was investigating the incident under the supervision of the accused and the municipal councilor Sunil Shivram Bhagat, the court observed. Mr Bhagat had directed them to cremate the body and perform the last rites at the bank of Ulhas River. “It is a sorry state of affairs that a person who was officiating as a municipal councilor had simply asked the applicant and others to cremate the body… he had no responsibility to the society,” said Justice Jadhav.
The court also directed Thane police commissioner to personally look into the matter and take action against the erring officer.