New Delhi, Aug 28: A Puducherry court has sentenced a local resident S Pradeep to five years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with the suicide of MBBS fourth-year student Priyadarshini with whom he was in a relationship, officials said here on Monday.
The case was handed over to the CBI on the orders of the Madras High Court on a petition of the mother of the Priyadarshini. The medical student had hung herself on the night of May 16, 2012, in her hostel room, they said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that Priyadarshini was in love with Pradeep who had started avoiding her leading to cropping up of differences between them, they said.
"It was also alleged that the accused had sent an SMS to the victim casting aspersions on her character, which proved to be the breaking point and led to Priyadarshini committing suicide on the fateful late evening/night of May 16, 2012, by hanging from the ceiling fan in her hostel room," CBI Spokesperson said here.
He said the SMS was recovered by the Forensic Science Department(FSD), Chennai, from the mobile phone of Priyadarshini after which the CBI filed a charge sheet on November 24, 2017, against Pradeep.
After six years of trial, the trial court convicted Pradeep.
"It is difficult to achieve conviction in cases with abetment to suicide charge because there has to be an irrefutable and strong connection that a particular action led the victim to commit suicide like a letter or a written word asking the victim to take her own life. I would say it is one of the few cases where a court has convicted for abetment to suicide," a former CBI official said.
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Thane: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has strongly criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant for his comment referring to Shaina NC as "imported maal." Shinde asserted that if Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray were alive, he "would have broken his mouth" for making such a remark. Calling Sawant's statement "unfortunate," Shinde condemned the disrespect toward women, saying, "Speaking ill of a woman is highly condemnable, and no amount of criticism is enough."
Shinde expressed that the women of Maharashtra would ensure Sawant faces consequences in the upcoming elections, highlighting that such remarks reveal the character of those making them. Following Shaina NC’s complaint, a case has been registered at Nagpada Police Station, listing charges related to defamation and outraging the modesty of a woman.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also criticised Sawant’s remarks, affirming that derogatory comments against women have no place in society and contradict Maharashtra's values of respect and dignity.
In response, Sawant clarified that he did not directly mention Shaina’s name and claimed his remarks were misinterpreted. The Maharashtra Assembly elections are set for November 20, with vote counting on November 23.