Surat Court Sentences Man To Life Imprisonment For Strangling Wife To Death In 2009
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The District and Sessions Court in Surat has sentenced Ebhal Nakum to life imprisonment for murdering his wife, Laxmiben alias Shobhaben, in 2009.
The incident dates back to March 26, 2009, when Laxmiben was found dead inside her terrace room at Kirtidham Society on Puna-Bombay Market Road in Surat.
Financial Dispute Allegedly Led To Murder
According to the prosecution, a dispute over salary and finances escalated between the couple around midnight.
In the early hours of the following morning, around 4 am, Nakum allegedly strangled his sleeping wife using her saree and his hands before fleeing the premises.
The matter came to light after the victim’s brothers, Dhirubhai and Ramji Baldaniya, were alerted by a relative and asked to check on their sister.
When they reached the residence, they found the room locked and Laxmiben lying dead on a wooden bed.
Accused Allegedly Confessed Before Family Members
Following a search, Nakum was brought back to the locality later that morning. According to the prosecution, he confessed to the killing in the presence of family members and community leaders.
He was subsequently handed over to Puna Police Station, where an FIR was registered under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.
Medical Evidence Establishes Cause Of Death
Medical evidence presented during the trial established that Laxmiben died of asphyxiation caused by pressure applied to her neck using hands and a ligature.
The defence argued that there were no eyewitnesses to the murder and questioned the prosecution’s reliance on the alleged extra-judicial confession.
However, the court examined the chain of circumstantial evidence, forensic reports and oral testimonies of witnesses and doctors before concluding that the prosecution had established Nakum’s guilt.
Court Awards Life Imprisonment
The court convicted Ebhal Nakum under Section 302 of the IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment, bringing the long-running legal proceedings in the 2009 murder case to a conclusion.
