‘Honour killing’ of Jalna girl: Dad, uncle get life term

Chhatrapati Sambhajingar: A sessions court in Jalna has convicted and sentenced a man and his brother for killing the former's 17-year-old daughter in Pirpimpalgaon village for eloping with a youth against the family's wish. The court observed that such crimes fell within the category of "rarest of rare" cases.On April 10, principal district and sessions judge V M Mohite found Santosh Bhaurao Sarode and his brother, Namdeo, guilty under IPC sections 302 (murder), read with 34 and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence). Both were sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 each under Section 302, and to three years of rigorous imprisonment, with a fine of Rs 5,000 each, under Section 201. The sentences will run concurrently.Surekha (17) was allegedly killed after she had eloped with Rameshwar Kolhe, a young adult from the same community, on Dec 11, 2022. The prosecution contended that the accused believed the elopement had brought "dishonour" to the family, establishing a clear motive for the crime.According to the prosecution, represented by additional public prosecutor S R Dhokrat, Surekha and Kolhe returned to the village on Dec 13, 2022, after being told that their families had agreed to their marriage. A meeting was convened at a temple in Dawalwadi, but tension escalated when the accused demanded transfer of nearly half an acre of land to the girl's name as a precondition for the marriage.The accused then forcibly took Surekha away on a motorcycle. By evening, words spread in the village that she had been killed and her body burned. The village police patil alerted the Chandanzira police the following morning, after which an FIR was registered and the two accused were arrested on Dec 14, 2022.The court accepted the prosecution's case that the accused hanged the girl to death and secretly cremated her near their poultry farm to destroy evidence. Though the body was never recovered, investigators found sacks containing ash, human teeth and bone fragments from the site, which the court held to be crucial evidence.During the trial, the prosecution examined 13 witnesses, including the complainant, the victim's partner and individuals who had recorded a video showing Surekha being forcibly taken away from the temple.In its judgment, the court ruled that the absence of the body was not fatal to the prosecution's case, observing that a homicidal death could be proved through circumstantial evidence that conclusively pointed to guilt. The court also relied on video evidence and the conduct of the accused, noting that their actions reflected anger and criminal intent.Observing that honour killings were among the gravest offences and might warrant capital punishment, the court refrained from awarding the death penalty, citing the absence of prior criminal antecedents and the fact that the accused were the sole breadwinners of their families.The chargesheet in the case was filed on March 7, 2023, while the charges were framed on Sept 20, 2023.