Justice Milind Sathaye overturns 1998 conviction, ruling lack of evidence that husband harassed or abetted wife's suicide
After living under the shadow of conviction for over 27 years, Ramprakash @ Popat Govind Manohar has finally been acquitted by the Bombay High Court, which ruled that there was no evidence of cruelty or abetment in the suicide of his wife, Rekha.
Justice Milind Sathaye set aside the 1998 judgment delivered by a Pune sessions court that had sentenced Manohar to three years' rigorous imprisonment under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498-A (cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code. His mother, who was also charged in the case, had been acquitted earlier.
The case dates back to May 1997, when Manohar married Rekha. Just six months later, she was found dead in a river near Pune. The prosecution had claimed Rekha was harassed by her husband and in-laws for money and a sewing machine, which allegedly drove her to suicide -- a charge Manohar consistently denied.
After examining the case record, the High Court found no credible evidence to support the allegations. "The necessary ingredient of cruelty in the form of conduct likely to drive a woman to suicide is not clearly spelt out, much less proved," Justice Sathaye observed, adding, "Mere statements that the deceased used to be unhappy or wept are not sufficient to conclude harassment beyond reasonable doubt."
The court also noted several lapses in the prosecution's case -- no neighbours were examined, the panch witness turned hostile, and the recovery of the alleged sewing machine from the accused's home was unsubstantiated. The ownership of the machine itself was in doubt since the purchase receipt was in another person's name.
Significantly, the judge observed that Manohar had filed a missing person complaint on the day Rekha disappeared, reporting that she had left her ornaments at home. During the subsequent police inquiry, Rekha's parents did not allege any harassment at that time.
Concluding that the trial court had erred in holding that Rekha was driven to suicide by mental cruelty, Justice Sathaye extended the benefit of doubt to Manohar and acquitted him of all charges.
The court directed Manohar to furnish a personal bond of ₹15,000, ensuring his appearance if the State challenges the verdict before the Supreme Court.
With this judgment, the Bombay High Court not only restored Manohar's reputation after nearly three decades but also reinforced that "unhappiness alone does not establish cruelty or abetment under criminal law."