R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, November 30
The Supreme Court has reduced to ten years the life sentence awarded to a policeman for killing his wife by setting her ablaze and keeping her locked up in the house for two days.
A Bench comprising Justices FMI Kalifulla and AM Sapre said it was cutting short the sentence for four reasons. First, the convict had committed the crime in the heat of moment arising from a sudden quarrel.
Second, there was not even a suggestion or contention by the prosecution that there was any premeditation involved in the crime. Third, the constable was not involved in any major quarrel with his wife during the nine years of their marriage.
Fourth, the post mortem report did not support the allegation that he had first stabbed the victim before setting her on fire after dousing her with kerosene.
The convict, Ravi Kumar, had married Padma in Karnataka in May 1995. In August 2004, Kumar wanted to visit his ailing father living in another place after getting some information. But his wife refused to leave with him immediately as it was already about 11 pm.
After a quarrel, he set her ablaze, locked up the house and left with his two sons. He came back after two days and broke open the door in the presence of his neighbours telling them that his wife was not responding to the knocks.