The Supreme Court, in a recent judgment, modified the murder conviction of a woman accused of killing her husband to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
SC bench comprising of Justice BR Gavai and Justice JB Pardiwala stated that the possibility of the wife causing her husband's death while being deprived of self-control due to provocation cannot be ruled out.
Apex Court observed that the weapon used in the crime was a stick, which cannot be classified as a deadly weapon. The woman's jail sentence was reduced from life imprisonment to the period already served (nine years).
In the case, the woman was accused of beating her husband to death during a quarrel that erupted when the husband refused to give their daughter Rs 500 to join a National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp. The Court noted that the couple's family relations were not cordial, and they often quarreled violently. The deceased man had previously fractured the appellant-wife's leg, and there was an ongoing criminal case against him for the same offense.
The Supreme Court's judgment came after the Himachal Pradesh High Court upheld the woman's murder conviction in May 2022. The woman challenged the High Court's verdict before the Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled in her favor. The Court found that the appellant was entitled to the benefit of doubt and the offense committed fell under Exception I of Section 300 IPC. Consequently, the conviction under Section 302 IPC was modified to Part-I of Section 304 IPC, categorizing the offense as culpable homicide.
Considering the appellant had already served nearly nine years in prison, the Court deemed the sentence already undergone sufficient to serve the ends of justice. As a result, the woman was released, and her bail bonds were discharged. The Supreme Court's decision reflects the importance of considering provocation and the circumstances of a crime while determining appropriate convictions and sentences.
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