Man gets 7 years in jail for abetment of wife's suicide in Thane

A court in Thane has sentenced a 60-year- old man to seven years rigorous imprisonment for abetment of suicide of his wife.

Additional Sessions Judge Mridula V K Bhatia found Ragunath Laxman Bhoir, a resident of Pimplas village in the district, guilty under the charge of abetment of suicide of his wife and sentenced him to seven years rigorous jail term. Bhatia, in his verdict on Tuesday, also slapped a fine of Rs 1,000 on Bhoir.

Prosecutor Sangeeta Goswami-Khapre had told the court that Bhoir was married to the victim, Yashodha, 55, for 32 years and used to often harass and physically abuse her.

Bhoir was also an alcohol addict, the court was told. "One day Bhoir asked his wife about her family lineage and instigated her that if she comes from a good family, she should prove this by setting herself ablaze.

Fed up by her husband's constant harassment, on February 8, 2014, Yashodha poured kerosene on her and set herself on fire," the prosecution had said.

The victim died during the treatment, it had said. The court relied on the circumstantial evidence and the deposition of Janki Warghade, 71, mother of the victim. Warghade had told the court that Bhoir used to harass her daughter frequently and that he was an alcoholic.