Man, second wife get life term for daughter’s murder
Lucknow: A district and sessions court in Gonda on Tuesday sentenced a man and his second wife to life imprisonment for the murder of his daughter, Shweta.District and Sessions Judge Durga Narayan Singh held Rajesh Shukla and Kiran Shukla guilty of murder and also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 each on the convicts.According to the prosecution, Shweta’s maternal grandfather, Brij Bihari Mishra, had lodged a complaint at Dhanepur police station after receiving information that she had been killed. Police investigation later established the involvement of her father and stepmother, following which a chargesheet was filed against the two.The prosecution presented witnesses and documentary evidence during the trial, based on which the court found Rajesh and Kiran guilty of murder and awarded them life imprisonment on Tuesday.Police said the murder was allegedly planned after Shweta refused to marry a man being considered for her. The prospective groom was reportedly facing a dowry-death case, prompting Shweta to reject the proposal. Her refusal angered Rajesh and Kiran, investigators said.According to the police investigation, Shweta was sleeping at home on the night of Jun 11, 2024, when Kiran allegedly held her legs and Rajesh slit her throat with a knife. Investigators also suspected that Rajesh had initially planned to blame his brothers and nephews over an ongoing property dispute concerning land and a house.Police said the investigation gradually established the sequence of events and pointed towards Rajesh and Kiran. Both were arrested and, after evidence was collected, the chargesheet was submitted before the court.Superintendent of police Vineet Jaiswal said the case was effectively pursued under ‘Operation Conviction’, under which police and prosecution teams are prioritising strong courtroom follow-up in serious crimes. He said the coordinated efforts in the Shweta murder case resulted in life sentences for both accused and that effective prosecution would continue in other serious offences.
