STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Excise Magistrate Jammu Umesh Sharma rejected bail application in dowry death case of one Sudesh Kumari, mother-in-law, of one Sheetal Bhagat.
According to police, information was received by Police Station Gandhi Nagar to the effect that one Sheetal Bhagat, married to one Ajay Kumar has committed suicide by hanging herself. The reason attributed to the suicide of the deceased was cited as harassment and cruelty inflicted by her husband on the instigation of her parents-in-law as well as maternal aunt of her husband in connection with demand of dowry. On receiving information, the probe in the matter was launched. The site plan of the place of occurrence was drafted and photographed. The statements of witnesses conversant with the facts and circumstances of the case were recorded. The post mortem of the dead body was also got conducted by IO concerned. On basis of probe conducted, it has been found by police that the applicant/accused, who happens to be the mother-in-law of the deceased, along with the husband, father-in-law and maternal aunt of the husband of deceased has abetted her suicide and thus have committed offence punishable under section of 304-B of IPC.
Excise Magistrate Jammu Umesh Sharma while rejecting the bail application, after hearing APP Yogesh Bamba appearing for the police observed that the investigation of the case is in progress and evidence of some extra marital affair of the husband of the deceased has also come up during the investigation of the case; the accused has been arrested just few days back and, many other material aspects of the case are yet to be investigated and in case the accused is enlarged on bail there is every apprehension that she may temper with the evidence and may also flee away from the clutches of law. The gender of the applicant is only one of the circumstances to be considered while deciding a bail application and to suggest the same as a sole/only circumstance which would entitle an accused to bail in all eventualities irrespective of severity of crime is an erroneous argument.
