COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 24: The judge of first Fast track Court, Cooch Behar, Mr Siddhartha Chattopadhyay sentenced a man ten years rigorous imprisonment today. 

Court sources said that one Kajal Bansfor was married off to Tinku Harijan of Dabri Mahalla in Cooch Behar on 26 January of 2004. Kajal was being ill treated both physically and mentally at her in-laws’ house since her marriage. She was reportedly asked by her in-laws to bring more dowries from her father’s house. On 11 March night of that year Kajal was shifted to the MJN Hospital and was declared brought dead. 

Following the incident father of Kajal, Mr Goutam Bansfor lodged an FIR with Kotowali police station against Kajal’s husband Tinku Harijan, mother-in-law Basmati Harijan, elder brother-in-law Rajendra Harijan and a married sister-in-law Chaity Harijan. After investigation the police submitted charge sheet against all the four accused under Section 498-A and 304-B IPC. 

Public Prosecutor of the case Mr Chanchal Kumar Chakraborty said that 19 witnesses were examined during the legal procedure. It was learnt from medical evidence that the victim was died of poison. There were marks of injuries too on her nostril and throat, Mr Chakraborty said. Advocate Mr Debashis Roy Karmakar appeared on behalf of the victim’s father in the case. 

First Fast Track Court judge of Cooch Behar, Mr Siddhartha Chattopadhyay acquitted three accused due to lack of sufficient evidence but convicted the husband, Tinku Harijan. He ordered 10-year rigorous imprisonment for the offence under Section 304-B IPC to the husband. The judge also ordered 3-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 498-A IPC. []