Delhi HC orders framing of murder charge against Suhaib Ilyasi

The Delhi High Court Tuesday ordered framing of murder charges against TV serial producer Suhaib Ilyasi, accused in the dowry-death of his wife in 2000.

Justice Indermeet Kaur asked the trial court to add the graver charge of murder under section 302 of IPC against Ilyasi for his wife Anju's death.

The high court's decision came on a plea filed by Rukma Singh, mother of Anju, challenging the 2011 order of a trial court which had rejected her plea for trying Ilyasi under the penal provision of murder.

Singh had said her son-in-law (Suhaib) was facing the charge of killing his wife for dowry under Section 304 of IPC, which attracts much lesser punishment.

Singh relied upon the statement of Dr. L.C. Gupta, who had conducted the post-mortem examination and contradicted his earlier findings after more than one-and-half years saying homicide could not be ruled out.

Gupta had earlier stated in his report to the police that Anju's injuries were self-inflicted and suicidal in nature. Earlier, the trial court had rejected Singh's plea to invoke additional murder charge against her son-in-law Ilyasi, saying no fresh evidence had emerged against him.

Ilyasi had shot into the limelight after hosting the reality TV show 'India's Most Wanted'.

--Indo-Asian New Service

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