A person charged with murdering his wife has been acquitted by a Mahila Court here on the ground that he was afflicted with schizophrenia at the time of committing the offence.
M. Jahir Hussein (32), a tailor, was living with his wife Ramjan Beevi in Adambakkam since 2002.
As he was suspicious about his wife’s fidelity, there used to be frequent quarrels between them.
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His wife left him and went to her parent’s house. Jahir undertook treatment for a few months in a hospital for depression.
The couple started living together after treatment. But again he started suspecting his wife after she became pregnant.
He murdered her in his house on February 12, 2006. The Ice House police registered a case under Section 302 (Punishment for murder) of IPC.
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The Mahila Court Judge, Meena Sateesh, said the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond doubt.
At the time of the offence, the accused was mentally ill at the advanced stage and that was established by deposition of a doctor who treated him and other medical documents. Hence the offence under Section 302 (Punishment for Murder) of IPC against the accused was not established beyond reasonable doubt.
The court considered his act not an offence under Section 84(Act of a person of unsound mind) of IPC.
The judge noted that according to the doctor who treated him, Jahir was psychologically affected and had come for treatment for schizophrenia along with his wife once and was admitted as an inpatient. Even after his arrest, he was sent for further treatment by the judicial magistrate.
He was in hospital for 14 months. It was found that he was afflicted with schizophrenia in its peak stage and it was established by his side beyond doubt.