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New Delhi:  A sessions court in Thane has acquitted a 54-year-old man accused of killing his wife by setting her on fire in 2007, ruling that when multiple conflicting dying declarations are present, the earliest statement must be given preference.

Sessions Judge R. D. Sawant dropped all charges against Suresh Sanjiv Shetty, saying the police failed to prove he was guilty without any doubt. Shetty was accused of pouring kerosene on his wife, Meena, and setting her on fire in their tin-roof room on March 20, 2007, after drinking alcohol. Meena suffered 60 percent burns and died three days later in the hospital.

Lawyer Rajan Salunkhe, who represented Shetty, argued against the police relying on a statement recorded two days after the incident.
Judge Sawant noted that when multiple dying declarations contradict one another, the earliest statement—made closest to the time of the event—is the least likely to be influenced by others.

Highlighting Meena’s initial statements recorded on the day of the incident, the court noted that she said the stove accidentally exploded while she was making tea. She had also shared that her husband rushed her to the hospital himself and that she had no complaints against him.

Criticizing the delayed statement that blamed the husband, the court observed: “This deliberate two-day silence, followed by a sudden and complete reversal, is a classic indicator of fabrication and renders them wholly untrustworthy. The physical and spot evidence independently corroborates the accidental version.”

The court also rejected the argument that Shetty running away for several years proved his guilt, stating that “abscondance of accused cannot be treated as substitute for proof” before clearing him of all charges.

Curated by- Ramansh Dhadwal