Cuttack, March 16: The court of ad-hoc additional district judge (fast track court–II), Cuttack, has sentenced a 57-year-old man to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in a dowry death case involving his daughter-in-law, Mandakini.

A pregnant Mandakini was strangled to death in January 2008. The death had occurred within eight months of her marriage.

“Dowry torture and death has become a menace to the society resulting in death of newly married women in their youth. It needs to be curbed by awarding drastic punishment,” ad-hoc additional district judge D.K. Pradhan said yesterday, while refusing to take any lenient view in the case.

While the deceased’s father-in-law Rama Chandra Ghadei of Kesula under Salipur police station limits in Cuttack district was convicted, her mother-in-law, Premalata Ghadei, and husband, Srikanta Ghadei, were acquitted as the prosecution failed to prove their presence at the time of the incident.

On the statement of Mandakini’s father, Dushasana Bhuyan, a case under Sections 498(A) and 304(B) of the Indian Penal Code was registered on January 17, 2008 against Mandakini’s in-laws and husband at the Salipur police station.

The prosecution claimed that while Mandakini’s family paid dowry at the time of marriage, her in-laws were unhappy with the amount and continued to misbehave with her. Srikanta was working as a colour painter in Mumbai.

Two months after the marriage, her father-in-law Rama Chandra Ghadei demanded a vehicle or Rs 50,000 for its purchase, the prosecution asserted.

Dushasana Bhuyan had alleged that on January 17, 2008, the accused persons tortured Mandakini for more money and caused her death by tying a rope around her neck.

The accused persons pleaded innocence and claimed that it was a case of suicide by hanging.

“Pronouncing the verdict, the fast track court judge held that the prosecution had successfully proven the guilt of the accused father-in-law and thereafter granted him sentence,” additional public prosecutor Bijay Mohanty told The Telegraph today.

The verdict said: “Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the gravity of the offences and keeping in view the increase in such cases day by day, convict Rama Chandra Ghadei is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years for offence under Section 498(A) of the IPC, rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for offence under Section 304(B) of the IPC and rigorous imprisonment for one month under Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.”

The substantive sentences shall run concurrently, said the verdict while imposing fines of Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 500 for the three offences and on default rigorous imprisonments of six months, one year and one month respectively.