Punjab man sentences to life for murdering mother-in-law; fined Rs 10,000

LUDHIANA: A local court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the murder of his mother-in-law and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.The Additional Sessions Judge/Fast Track Court, Sandeep Singh Bajwa, delivered the verdict.On 25 April 2018, Jodhan police registered a case against Surinderpal Singh of Boparai Kalan under Section 302 of the IPC (murder). According to the prosecution, Satwinder Singh, the complainant, said he had three brothers and two sisters. His eldest brother, Darshan Singh, passed away about 26 years ago, leaving behind two sons and a daughter, Jaspreet Kaur. Around 25 years ago, Jaspreet Kaur married the accused.The complainant added that Harvinder Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur’s mother-in-law, died on 21 April 2018. On 25 April, Satwinder Singh, Harvinder Kaur’s sister-in-law Harvinder Kaur, her brother Amar Singh, and a relative went to Jaspreet Kaur’s matrimonial home in Boparai Kalan to offer condolences.Around 6.15 pm, Satwinder Singh, Amar Singh, and their relative were sitting in the verandah, while Harvinder Kaur was washing clothes near the courtyard bathroom. Jaspreet Kaur, her children, and father-in-law were occupied with household work inside.

The accused allegedly came from the cattle shed carrying a sharp-edged weapon and attacked Harvinder Kaur from behind, killing her instantly.The complainant stated that the accused often quarrelled with his wife, and since Harvinder Kaur intervened to stop him, he killed her in anger. The police later arrested the accused and filed a chargesheet after completing the investigation.During the trial, the accused claimed he could not remember what happened and said he was undergoing treatment for mental illness, accompanied by his wife to doctors.

Jaspreet Kaur, an eyewitness, said her husband frequently beat her after consuming liquor, and her mother’s intervention led to the murder.The defence argued that the accused was mentally unsound at the time of the incident. They cited medical records and admissions by Jaspreet Kaur that he had been under treatment at DMC and had once attempted to jump into a canal.The court, after reviewing all evidence, observed that Surinderpal Singh aka Bittu murdered Harvinder Kaur by striking her neck with an iron dah.

The injuries, sequence of events, and lack of convincing defence or proof of insanity strengthened the prosecution’s case.“The accused has not given any convincing explanation or evidence to challenge the prosecution. These facts show that the act was intentional and done with the knowledge that it could cause death. Therefore, his involvement in the murder is proved beyond reasonable doubt,” the court noted.