Koderma: The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Rakesh Chandra has sentenced Ajay Rajak (28) to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment for killing his wife, Mamta Devi, over dowry.The court found Rajak guilty under Section 304(B) of the Indian Penal Code and also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000.Mamta Devi was found dead at her in-laws’ residence in Chandedih, under Koderma police station limits, on Jan 3, 2021. A complaint was lodged by her father, Karu Ram.According to the complaint, Mamta Devi had been repeatedly subjected to severe physical abuse by her husband and in-laws after her marriage in 2017. The accused and his family were allegedly demanding a motorcycle and Rs 2,00,000 in cash as dowry. Her father said the torture had continued for years, despite local community meetings being held earlier to settle the disputes.During the trial, Public Prosecutor Praveen Kumar Singh produced witnesses and physical evidence to prove the charge against Rajak. He sought strict punishment, citing the seriousness of the offence, while the defence counsel opposed the prosecution’s arguments.After examining witness statements, evidence and court records, the judge held that the case clearly established dowry death and delivered the conviction. The sentence was pronounced after the court completed its assessment of the prosecution’s case.
