In a landmark judgment, a Bareilly court has sentenced a man to 800 days of imprisonment for producing false evidence in a dowry death case that wrongfully incarcerated an elderly couple and their son. The court also imposed a penalty of ₹2,54,352.35 on the convict, equivalent to the total loss of income suffered by the three falsely accused individuals during their time in detention.
The accused, Babu Ram, was found guilty under Section 230 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for presenting fabricated evidence against his son-in-law Sonu, and Sonu’s parents, Poshaki Lal and Sheela Devi. Babu Ram had initially filed charges under Indian Penal Code Sections 498-A and 304-B against the trio, accusing them of domestic violence and the dowry-related death of his daughter Shalu, who had committed suicide.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Gyanendra Tripathi, determined that Babu Ram’s actions directly led to Sonu and his parents spending a combined total of 800 days in jail. The detailed verdict noted that Sonu, an unskilled laborer, spent 510 days behind bars, while Poshaki Lal and Sheela Devi spent 134 and 156 days, respectively.
The court meticulously calculated the daily earnings lost due to imprisonment, pegging the wage at ₹388.04 per day. This figure led to a calculated loss of ₹1,54,540.40 for Sonu, with his parents losing ₹45,756.48 and ₹54,055.47 respectively. The compensation amount set by the court aims to cover these losses, ensuring that the wrongfully accused are financially restored.
