Home / Crime and Justice / Dying Declarations Convict Cousins in 15-Year-Old Murder Case
Dying Declarations Convict Cousins in 15-Year-Old Murder Case
2 Aug
Summary
- Two women sentenced to life for burning a woman alive in 2010
- Dying declarations used as key evidence, overturning earlier acquittal
- High court found trial court's rejection of dying declarations "perverse"
In a shocking case of murder that occurred 15 years ago, the Gujarat High Court has sentenced two women to life imprisonment for burning a woman alive in Porbandar district. The court's decision overturns the earlier acquittal of the two cousins by the district court in September 2012.
According to the case details, the deceased woman was separated from her husband and living at her maternal home in Ranavav town when one of the two cousins suspected her of intimacy with her husband. The cousins then proceeded to beat the woman and pour kerosene on her before setting her ablaze. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where she succumbed to her burn injuries. However, before her death, the woman's statements were recorded by a doctor, an executive magistrate, and a police sub-inspector.
Despite the lack of direct evidence, the Gujarat High Court found the dying declarations to be "true, voluntary and inspiring full confidence" in the court's mind. The high court bench stated that the trial court had erred in rejecting the dying declarations on technical grounds, which were "legally not tenable." The convicts had pleaded for leniency, citing their responsibilities for minor children, but the court ordered life imprisonment, though directing the government to consider granting them the benefit of remission after 14 years of sentence.
