Thane, June 16: The Thane Sessions Court has acquitted five members of a Kandivali-based family who were accused of domestic violence charges that allegedly led to the suicide of their daughter-in-law, after the deceased’s parents failed to support the prosecution. The court, in its verdict, maintained that the allegations levelled against the accused were not proved by the prosecution.
“The allegations about harassment are vague in nature and not supported by oral testimony of witnesses. Hence, I am of the view that prosecution has failed to prove that accused have harassed the deceased or subjected her to physical or mental cruelty. … The prosecution has failed to prove that accused subjected the deceased to physical as well as mental cruelty or abetted her to commit suicide or administered her any stupefying or unwholesome drug with intent to cause hurt or harassed her mentally or physically or criminally intimidated her,” the order copy reads.
Parents Turn Hostile During Trial
The case of domestic violence and abetment to suicide was levelled against Priyank Pankaj Mehta, his parents Maya and Pankaj Mehta, and relatives Varun and Payal Mehta. An FIR in the matter was filed with the Wagle Estate Police Station.
According to the prosecution, the deceased, Urvi Mehta, had married accused No. 1, Priyank Mehta, in 2017 in a love marriage. Her father alleged that after marriage, she was subjected to physical and mental cruelty by her husband and in-laws.
It was claimed that Priyank Mehta suspected her character, while other family members allegedly harassed and assaulted her, denied her food, taunted her for being childless and administered depression pills that adversely affected her mental health.
The prosecution further alleged that on October 6, 2019, after a quarrel with her mother-in-law over the phone, Urvi died by suicide at her parental home.
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During the trial, however, the prosecution examined only two witnesses — the deceased’s father and mother. Both witnesses failed to support the prosecution case and were declared hostile. The court noted that despite being cross-examined by the prosecution, no useful material could be elicited from them.
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