Court acquits two women in murder case, says it was suicide

Two women, who were facing trial for allegedly setting ablaze a man leading to his death, have been acquitted by a Delhi court which held that it was a case of "suicide".
The court acquitted Rehana and Akeela of the charges of burning alive Sanjay, with whom one of them was allegedly having an affair, and rejected his dying declaration in which he had held them responsible saying they had poured kerosene oil on him.
"I find that the prosecution has failed to convince this court regarding the authenticity and reliability of dying declaration of deceased Sanjay, which had been the sole evidence of the prosecution.

"Therefore, both accused persons are acquitted of the charges (of murder and common intention under IPC) levelled against them," Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala said.
The court, while holding it a case of suicide, observed that since Sanjay's mother did not like Rehana, with whom he was in love, there was a possibility that she (mother) "tutored" him to drag the names of the two women to take "revenge".
"Sanjay's health was deteriorating and hence it was possible that he made a statement in persuasion of his mother to take revenge from Rehana," the court said.

The court, while acquitting the two women, also noted that Sanjay had an alleged history of attempting to suicide and he had admitted this fact before the doctor who examined him.

It noted that Sanjay's mother had said in her statement that he was an alcoholic and jobless and was adamant on marrying Rehana despite resistance of his parents.
According to the police, Sanjay in his dying declaration to the SDM had said that on the night of August 10, 2011, he had consumed alcohol with Rehana and Akeela after which they boarded a bus. The two women poured kerosene oil on him and set him on fire.