NEW DELHI: The “better-half becomes the bitter-half” if marital issues are not addressed and resolved in time, the Delhi High Court has observed while acquitting a man convicted of attempting to kill his wife by forcing insecticide down her throat.
Justice Vimal Kumar Yadav made the observation while allowing an appeal filed by Nafe Singh against a 2004 trial court order sentencing him to three years’ imprisonment.
In its August 24 order, the high court cited an “inconclusive” forensic trail and inconsistencies in the woman’s testimony. It noted that she had made material improvements during cross-examination, including changing her account of a “beating-induced” abortion, which she later conceded had occurred naturally.
The court also noted that Singh had arranged for his wife’s hospital admission and paid the initial deposit.
While pronouncing the order, Justice Yadav said recent instances of spouses resorting to extreme violence against each other were “incomprehensible some decades ago”.
“The better-half becomes the bitter-half if issues are not taken care of and resolved as soon as possible,” the judge said, adding that relationships could take an “undesirable” turn if not handled carefully. According to the prosecution, the couple married in 2000 but their relationship soured within a year.
Also in court
Probe into woman’s disappearance
The Delhi HC on August 24 directed Delhi Police to register a missing person case and probe a woman’s disappearance from a Rohini ashram. The court also ordered an inquiry into the ashram’s affairs and funding.
