HC confirms life sentence on man for killing wife's paramour

Relying on the testimony of three eyewitnesses, the Bombay High Court has confirmed the life sentence imposed by a sessions court on a 34-year-old man hailing from Sangli district of Maharashtra for stabbing to death his wife's paramour almost a decade ago.
"We believe the testimony of eyewitnesses who saw Suresh Patil fatally injuring Bhagwan Bhosale with a knife on October 25, 2005 in a shop," said a bench headed by Justice P V Hardas in a judgement four days ago.
"The testimony of these eyewitnesses undoubtedly inspires confidence in the mind of this court and we are of the considered opinion that their evidence can be safely relied upon for basing the conviction of the appellant under Section 302 of IPC," said the bench while rejecting the appeal of Suresh, who is currently lodged in a Pune prison.

The judges were of the view that the trial court has rightly convicted the appellant on murder charges and held that there was no infirmity in the impugned judgment of the trial court.
The motive for the murder is also established by the prosecution the court observed.
According to the prosecution's case, Suresh and deceased Bhagwan were neighbours. Bhagwan had illicit relations with Suresh's wife Ranjana. Before the incident, both had eloped and started living elsewhere. However, their families intervened and persuaded Ranjana to return back home to her husband.
On October 25, 2005, there was a scuffle between the two and Suresh started chasing Bhagwan in full public view. Suresh had a knife in hand and stabbed Bhagwan in a shop. He then ran away. Bhagwan's wife lodged a police complaint and a case was registered against Suresh who was later arrested and tried for murder.