51 year old man convicted for murdering wife
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 12 2018: Additional Judge of Fast Track Court for Crime against Women, Manipur, Binny Ngangom, convicted one Hijam Shanti (51) of murdering his wife on the evening of June 4, 2013 apart from fixing November 23 for the sentence hearing of the convict.

The judgment Was announced in an open Court today after it was kept reserved from October 3 following.

Hijam Shanti Singh (51) s/o (L) H Nabakumar of Uchathol village, Jiribam district, who had been on bail appeared before the Court today.

The judgment mentioned that the case was set in motion on the basis of a complaint lodged by Hijam Sharatchandra that on June 4, 2013, at around 5.30 am, his sister in law (the victim) Hijam (O) Jina was found dead in a very suspicious manner in her homestead located at Uchathol village, Jiribam.

On the basis of the report a case was registered by Jiribam PS and the investigation was taken up by Sub Inspector, T Padmeshwar.

On the basis of the investigation report submitted by the IO, the case which was earlier registered as an unnatural death case was converted to an FIR and during the course of investigation it came to light that on June 3, 2013, at around 8 pm, the deceased woman had quarrelled with her husband (the convict) at their residence at Uchathol village.

Following a heated argument, the convict landed some blows at Jina as well as kicked her face while she was preparing food in the kitchen.

It was submitted that the nature of the injuries which were found on the body of the victim seemed to be the result of assault by using criminal force and that the sudden quarrel/ assault between the convict and deceased resulted in the death.

Even the medical doctor who conducted the post mortem examination of the body had opined that the nature of the death seems to be homicide.

During the course of investigation, the post mortem examination result from the Department of Forensic Medicine, Silchar Medical College, was received by the IO and in it, the doctor had opined that the cause of death was due to the coma resulting from the injuries of the head.

The report also informed that all injuries sustained by the victim were antemortem, inflicted by a blunt object and homicidal in nature.

After the completion of the investigation, the charge sheet against the convict was submitted before the Court of JMIC, Jiribam and from there, the charge sheet was committed to then Session Judge, Manipur East, for the trial on March 10, 2014.Charges were framed against the convict on June 5, 2015, by the Session Judge Imphal East but the convict did not plead guilty and prayed for a trial.

The case was transferred from the Session Judge Imphal East to Additional Judge, Fast Track Court for Crime against Women, Manipur, on July 25, 2017, by an order of the High Court of Manipur (dated July 14 the same year).

During the trial before the Additional Judge Fast Track Court for Crime against Women, 7 prosecution witnesses were examined and their statements were recorded as well.

After the completion of examining the prosecution witnesses, the accused examination was held on June 28 this year but the convict did not produce any witnesses in his defense.

The argument hearing between the Special PP, Sushila Devi, and Advocate Ng Tejkumar (counsel of the convict) began from July 7.After hearing the argument of both parties, the Court came to the conclusion that the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that Hijam Shanti murdered his wife by kicking her on the face which resulted in fatal injuries.

Hence the Court convicted Shanti and fixed November 23 for the sentence hearing.

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