In a significant verdict, a Delhi court has acquitted Monish alias Noor Mohammad of charges related to dowry death and cruelty under Sections 304B and 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court emphasized that “vague and general” allegations without concrete evidence cannot justify a conviction.
Case Background
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According to the prosecution, Monish’s wife died by suicide on May 9, 2022, allegedly due to relentless harassment over dowry demands. The Bhajanpura Police Station filed an FIR against him, accusing him of driving his wife to suicide through mental and physical torture. However, Additional Sessions Judge Twinkle Wadhwa ruled that the prosecution failed to provide specific evidence to substantiate these claims.
The court underscored the necessity of detailed and precise allegations to secure a conviction.
“To convict an accused, the allegations must be specific and detailed. Vague or general accusations lack the substance needed to establish the ingredients of an offence,” the court stated.
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Judge Twinkle Wadhwa noted that while the prosecution argued the deceased faced cruelty for dowry, key witnesses—including the woman’s parents and uncles—retracted their initial statements during the trial. This retraction critically weakened the case.
The family members of the deceased turned hostile, refusing to support the prosecution’s narrative. Additionally, two neighbors who testified about hearing frequent quarrels in Monish’s house could not specify the reasons behind these disputes.
“When public witnesses become hostile, the primary evidence is weakened or nullified. Corroborating evidence alone, without strong direct evidence, may not meet the legal threshold of proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” the court observed.
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The court clarified that circumstantial evidence must unequivocally point to the accused’s guilt.
“If the corroborating evidence does not conclusively point toward the guilt of the accused or only provides circumstantial support, it cannot form the basis of conviction,” the order read.
The January 31 order serves as a reminder of the high burden of proof required in criminal cases. By acquitting Monish, the Delhi court has reiterated that justice demands not just allegations, but airtight evidence to prevent wrongful convictions.
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“The law protects the innocent as diligently as it punishes the guilty. Without concrete proof, even grave accusations cannot override the presumption of innocence,” the judgment concluded.
