Panaji, Oct 5 (TOI): In a dowry death case, North Goa sessions court sentenced four in a family, including the husband, for setting on fire and murdering Pramila alias Sunita Gawas at Bicholim in 2011 to undergo life imprisonment.

Prakash Gawas (husband of the deceased), Anand Gawas (brother-in-law), Anandi Gawas (mother-in-law) and Jayanti Gawas (sister-in-law) were charged under Sections 302(murder), 304B (causing death in furtherance of a demand for dowry) and Section 498A (cruelty by husband or relatives of husband) of the IPC.

According to the prosecution, the accused persons, in furtherance of fulfilling their demands for dowry, set fire to the deceased on June 23, 2011, at Bicholim. Public prosecutor Pratima Vernekar examined 24 witnesses in the case.

The brother of the deceased, who was the complainant, deposed before the court and stated that his sister was treated cruelly by the accused persons. A complaint was also lodged by the deceased at Bicholim police station in 2008.

A neighbour of the accused who was also a pancha witness in the case deposed that ill treatment was meted out to the deceased by the accused persons.

Of prime importance in securing the conviction of the accused persons was the dying declaration made by the deceased to Dr Sarang Kanekar. The doctor deposed that the deceased had disclosed that she was set alight by her husband, mother-in-law and sister-in-law at her matrimonial house at Bicholim. The same was supported by the testimony of Dr Vimal Krishna, a junior resident at GMC.

Sessions judge B P Deshpande observed that the material brought on record by the prosecution through evidence of various witnesses clearly show that the burn injuries caused to Pramila are not due to an accidental event. He further went on to observe that time and again it has been observed that dowry death should be dealt with seriously hence, the aspect of leniency cannot be considered.

The accused persons were sentenced to serve under Sections 498A of the IPC, an imprisonment of two years and fine of 10,000 each; under Section 304B, imprisonment for seven years and 10,000 fine each.

For committing the murder, the accused were directed to pay a fine of 10,000 each. All of which sentences are to run concurrently. The judge further directed that if the fine amount is paid, an amount of 1,00,000 be kept in fixed deposit in the name of the son of the deceased till he attains the age of majority and thereafter the same be handed over to him as compensation.