Court convicts husband, in-laws in dowry harassment case

Sambalpur: A Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Sambalpur on Friday convicted a man and his family members of subjecting his wife to prolonged physical and mental cruelty.Based on the testimony of six witnesses and documentary evidence, the court sentenced each of the convicts to one year’s rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Sections 498A/34 IPC. In default of payment, they will undergo an additional one month of simple imprisonment.Under Sections 323/34 IPC, the court awarded one month’s imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 500 each, with a two-day default sentence. All sentences will run concurrently.Judicial Magistrate First Class Brajesh Mishra found husband Hridananda Tripathy (58), brother-in-law Bhima, alias Bhimasen (55) and sister-in-law Anandini (49) — all from Tentulikurla village under Dhama police limits — guilty of cruelty and assault on complainant Saudamini TripathyAccording to case records, Saudamini, a resident of Dhanupali, married Hridananda on Feb 16, 1997. The prosecution said she was subjected to harassment soon after marriage over dowry demands and for not conceiving a child, forcing her to take shelter at her parental home for some time.The harassment allegedly continued even after the birth of a son in 2014. The prosecution further stated that Bhimasen assaulted her with a bicycle chain, affecting her hearing. She was also allegedly confined, denied food and kept away from her child.In 2017, Saudamini was rescued by her family and admitted to VIMSAR, Burla. She later lodged an FIR at Sambalpur Women police station on January 7, 2021.Police registered a case, arrested the accused and filed a chargesheet on Feb 26, 2021, following which the trial began. The court had reserved its judgment after hearing arguments last Friday and delivered the verdict a week later.