Tutor gets 5 yrs' jail term for trying to kill wife

Additional Sessions Judge Yashwant Kumar held Vishav Kumar Aggarwal, a private tutor by profession, guilty of attempting to murder his wife as he remained a "mute spectator" to his mother's attempt to burn his wife to death.

"Convict Vishav Kumar Aggarwal is sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment under section 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the IPC with fine of Rs 5,000.

"The convict is further sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC with fine of Rs 35,000," the court said.

The judge also directed that "out of the total fine amount of Rs 40,000, a sum of Rs 35,000 shall be given to the wife as compensation for her sufferings and trauma."

The court did not hold the convict's parents, also accused in the case, guilty as they had died during the pendency of the trial.

The court refused to release the accused on probation saying "the convict Vishav no doubt was standing nearby the victim as a silent spectator while his mother (since dead) was pouring kerosene oil upon her."

"Therefore, Vishav cannot be given benefit under the Probation of Offenders Act in such offence."

According to the prosecution, the couple were married in February 2000. The bride lived with Vishav in his parental home in North West Delhi.

The prosecution added that despite four years of marriage, Vishav and his parents used to pester her to bring more money and house holds goods from her parents and as she failed to bring in more dowry, she was set ablaze one day by her mother-in-law in 2004.

The counsel for the convict had sought a lenient view in the sentencing saying he was supporting himself and paying maintenance to his wife and daughter, living separately from him after the incident.