Mangaluru : Uma M.G. has sentenced Sabanna Chalavadi, a native of Bagalkot, to four years of rigorous imprisonment on finding him guilty of abetting the suicide of his wife, Pushpa.

According to the charge-sheet filed by Kavoor police, Pushpa, (25), also a native of Bagalkot, died in a private hospital on June 2, 2012 following burns she sustained at her house in Kavoor on May 27, 2012. Before her death, Pushpa told the doctor that she had set herself ablaze as she was being harassed by her husband, who had frequent quarrels with her.

Considering this declaration before her death, the judge, on March 3, convicted Sabanna Chalavadi of abetting suicide (Section 306 of Indian Penal Code). The judge also found him guilty of using abusive language (Section 504 of IPC). Pushpa’s dying declaration and the statement of the doctor proved crucial as other witnesses, including the victim’s parents, had turned hostile before court.

The judge sentenced Sabanna Chalavadi to four years imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 10,000 on him for the offence under Section 306 of the IPC. The judge further sentenced Sabanna Chalavadi to undergo one year rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 for an offence under Section 504 of the IPC. The judge ruled that the two sentences will run concurrently.

Out of the total fine amount of Rs. 15,000, the judge ordered payment of Rs. 10,000 as compensation to the minor children of the victim.