The Tripura High Court has upheld the life sentence imposed on a husband for murdering his wife by manual strangulation, observing that the prosecution had established an unbroken chain of circumstantial evidence proving his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The Court observed that the deceased had been repeatedly subjected to cruelty over demands for money and that the husband failed to explain the circumstances in which she suffered a homicidal death inside their matrimonial home.

The Division Bench of Justice T. Amarnath Goud and Justice S. Datta Purkayastha noted: “Even, in examination under Section 313, CrPC the accused completely failed to give any explanation as to how and in what manner his wife expired inside the hut where they used to live in.”

Background Of The Case

The case arose from the death of Sumi Deb alias Maya, who was found dead inside her matrimonial home on March 15, 2010. Her brother lodged a complaint alleging that her husband, Prasanta Deb alias Raju, and her mother-in-law had subjected her to physical cruelty over demands for money.

The prosecution alleged that despite intervention by the Women's Commission, the harassment continued. The post-mortem examination attributed her death to asphyxia resulting from manual strangulation.

In 2016, the trial court convicted the husband under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He subsequently challenged the conviction before the Tripura High Court.

The Tripura High Court held that the prosecution had established an unbroken chain of circumstantial evidence proving the appellant's guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The Court relied on the testimonies of the deceased's family members and neighbours regarding repeated cruelty over money demands and a quarrel between the couple on the night preceding her death. The post-mortem report conclusively established that the deceased died due to manual strangulation.

The Court further observed that the appellant failed to explain the circumstances of his wife's homicidal death inside their matrimonial home, which, along with the other established circumstances, strengthened the prosecution's case.

Finding no infirmity in the trial court's judgment, the High Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the conviction and life sentence.

Date of Decision: 06.10.2026