Man acquitted as children turn hostile

CHANDIGARH: With the children, whose mother was allegedly battered to death by their father in front of their eyes at Hallo Majra in August last year, failing to support the prosecution case, the court of District and Sessions Judge SK Aggarwal today acquitted their father in the case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the IPC.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26

With the children, whose mother was allegedly battered to death by their father in front of their eyes at Hallo Majra in August last year, failing to support the prosecution case, the court of District and Sessions Judge SK Aggarwal today acquitted their father in the case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the IPC.

The incident occurred last year when the accused, Jugal Kishore, had assaulted his wife Reeta with a utensil stand following which she died.

The court today acquitted Jugal Kishore of all charges after his children, who were the lone eyewitnesses, turned hostile in the case.

Two of the six children of the couple had deposed before the court that they had given previous statements under pressure and their father never assaulted their mother.

According to the prosecution case, the incident occurred on August 17 last year when Jugal Kishore returned home at around 4 pm and was in an inebriated state. His wife Reeta objected to his drinking problem. The couple had an argument.

Under the influence of alcohol, Jugal Kishore picked up an iron utensil stand and hit Reeta with it on her head. He hit Reeta thrice after which she fell unconscious.

Their children panicked and ran to the neighbours’ place and told them about the incident, who then called the police. Reeta was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, where she was declared brought dead.

The police had arrested Jugal Kishore for his wife’s death. The children were being taken care of by their paternal grandparents.

What eldest daughter said then and now

The couple had six children — four daughters and two sons — who were first sent to Snehalaya in Maloya.

Later, their grandparents took their custody.

The eldest daughter of the couple is 12 years old. She, along with her sister, who is around 10 years old, had earlier recorded their statements before the Magistrate on August 18, 2014, and had narrated the sequence of events that led to the death of their mother. She had then narrated how her father came home drunk and beat up his mother with an iron utensil.

Then: “My father beat up my mother with an iron utensil and she fell on the floor in a pool of blood.”

Now: “My father never assaulted my mother and the earlier statements were given under pressure.”