Photo Courtesy: nenow
Agartala: The Tripura High Court overturned a murder conviction. Justice T. Amarnath Goud and Justice S. Datta Purkayastha cleared Swapan Nath and his mother, Kumudini Nath, of all charges. The pair previously faced sentencing for the 2018 death of Swapan’s wife in North Tripura. The court ruled the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
The victim disappeared on December 27, 2018. She had left her home to fetch water. Two days later, searchers pulled her body from a dry pond near the matrimonial residence. She suffered multiple sharp-cut injuries. A Sessions Judge had convicted Swapan Nath under sections 302 and 498A of the IPC for murder and cruelty. His mother faced a conviction under section 498A.
The High Court found the state relied entirely on circumstantial evidence. The judges noted the police failed to build an unbroken chain of events. DNA testing could have linked the victim to blood found on the husband's clothes, but authorities skipped it. The murder weapon showed no bloodstains. Disclosure records and seizure documents conflicted, damaging the credibility of the evidence.
The bench also faulted the investigation for ignoring another person mentioned by witnesses. Regarding the mother-in-law, the court stated, "the allegations were general and unsupported by specific evidence." No clear proof of harassment or dowry demands existed in the FIR.
Swapan Nath joined the search for his wife. He notified her family and the police upon finding the body. The court ordered his immediate release from custody. It also discharged the bail bond for Kumudini Nath.
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