A devastating incident of domestic violence has led to a life imprisonment sentence for Manoj Abraham, 48, who brutally murdered his wife, Reena, 35, in front of their children in 2014.
The Pathanamthitta Additional District and Sessions Court on Thursday delivered the verdict, also imposing a fine of Rs 2 lakh, which will be paid to the children. Judge GP Jayakrishnan delivered the verdict, imposing a fine of Rs. 2,00,000. This amount must be paid to the children; otherwise, the defendant must serve an additional two years in prison. He has also been sentenced to one month in prison and fined Rs. 500 for causing wrongful obstruction. The verdict further states that a warrant will be issued to collect the fine from the defendant's property if it is not paid. The incident occurred on December 28, 2014, when Reena received a phone call, leading to a fight between them. The ward member intervened and resolved the matter, but there was another argument in the middle of the night. He beat up Reena over this argument. The young woman sustained serious injuries to her head and face. Reena passed away in the morning while receiving treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital. The Ranni police, which registered the case, completed the investigation under the then police inspector T. Rajappan and submitted a charge sheet before the court on March 17, 2015. Following the trial, the court found the charges of murder and abduction to be proven. Subsequently, the court found the accused guilty. Reena's mother and two children were witnesses. The mother later passed away. The court took the children's statements and circumstantial evidence at face value. Twenty-five witnesses and 13 objects were examined in court. Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Harishankar Prasad appeared for the prosecution. (ANI)
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