Calcutta High Court Upholds Conviction of Husband and Son in Murder Case

Strategic Insights -

The Calcutta high court has upheld the conviction of Jahangir Sahaji, who was sentenced to death for burning his second wife and six-year-old son in 2006. The court ruled that the accused has a duty to explain the circumstances leading to the death, citing Section 106 of the Indian Evidence Act. The bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Prasenjit Biswas reduced Sahaji's death sentence to life imprisonment but acquitted his mother, citing lack of evidence.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Calcutta high court upheld the conviction of Jahangir Sahaji for burning his second wife and six-year-old son in 2006.
  • The court ruled that the accused has a duty to explain the circumstances leading to the death, citing Section 106 of the Indian Evidence Act.
  • The bench reduced Sahaji's death sentence to life imprisonment but acquitted his mother, citing lack of evidence.
  • The court concluded that the chain of circumstantial evidence in the case is complete.
  • The accused's trousers were found burnt, allegedly while he was dousing the flames.
  • Medical reports concluded the burns suffered by the victims were not self-inflicted.
  • Lucia Bibi, the first wife of Sahaji, filed a complaint stating that Sahaji forcibly took their elder son Imran, who was later found dead.
  • Sahaji then married Sanjura Bibi, who was burnt to death along with Imran.

Statistics:

  • 2006: The year in which Jahangir Sahaji burned his second wife and six-year-old son.
  • 106: The section of the Indian Evidence Act cited by the court in the ruling.
  • 2: The number of children Sahaji had with his first wife, Lucia Bibi.
  • 1: The age of the six-year-old child who was killed in the incident.
  • 2: The number of times Sahaji was married, first to Lucia Bibi and then to Sanjura Bibi.
  • 1: The number of cases filed against Sahaji, one by his first wife and the other by Sanjura Bibi's father.
  • 1: The number of family members found dead in the incident.

Sources:

  • "Calcutta high court upholds conviction, reduces death sentence to life" (The Telegraph)
  • "Calcutta HC quashes mother's conviction in murder case, but upholds son's" (Times of India)