Uttarakhand High Court Acquits Man in 2004 Suicide Case
The Uttarakhand High Court has acquitted Sunil Dutt Pathak of abetment of suicide charges in a 2004 case. The court observed that strong suspicion cannot replace evidence after a sessions court had initially convicted Pathak. His wife's suicide had been alleged to result from marital issues and mental torture.
- Country:
- India
The Uttarakhand High Court delivered a significant ruling on Monday, underscoring the principle that suspicion, no matter how substantial, cannot substitute for concrete evidence.
Justice Ashish Naithani rendered this observation amid the appeal over a 2004 suicide case in Udham Singh Nagar district's Khatima area. The court ultimately acquitted Sunil Dutt Pathak of abetment charges under the Indian Penal Code's Section 306.
In the case at hand, Pathak's wife had taken her life at her parents' residence. Despite the sessions court previously convicting him based on allegations of mental torture linked to suspicions about his wife's character, the higher court's decision reflects a careful reassessment of the evidence—or lack thereof—presented, resulting in Pathak's acquittal.
Google News