Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Acquitted in Murder Case Due to Lack of Evidence

Thane, March 7 – A court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted a woman and her mother-in-law in a 2017 murder case, citing insufficient evidence against them. The Additional Sessions Judge A. N. Sirsikar ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish charges against the accused, identified as 46-year-old Savita Santosh Jadhav and her 67-year-old mother-in-law, Vatsala Baban Jadhav. The verdict was delivered on March 4, and a copy of the order was made available on Friday.

As per agency reports, the prosecution had alleged that both women were responsible for the murder of Geeta Kadam, who was killed on May 9, 2017. Kadam had been living at their house and was reportedly in a relationship with Savita’s husband. After her death, the accused had claimed that she had died by suicide.

The defense, led by advocate M. I. Z. G. Sheikh, argued that there was no direct evidence linking the two women to the crime. The defense also pointed out inconsistencies in the prosecution's case and noted that Kadam’s body was found in a locked room. The court was informed that the accused were under no legal obligation to report the death immediately.

Judge Sirsikar observed that the prosecution had failed to establish that the deceased and the accused were living in the same house at the time of the incident. The court also noted that phone records, which could have provided crucial evidence about Kadam’s whereabouts and the involvement of the accused, were not properly presented.

Further complicating the case, Kadam’s brother claimed to have spoken to her on the day of her death, but his testimony did not align with the statements of other witnesses. The court found no reliable evidence proving that the accused had either the motive or the opportunity to commit the crime.

While the court acknowledged that the accused had delayed informing authorities about Kadam’s death, it considered that fear and the absence of male family members at home could have contributed to the delay. Judge Sirsikar concluded that this delay alone was not sufficient to prove murder.

With the prosecution failing to substantiate its claims convincingly, the court ruled in favor of acquittal, allowing both women to walk free.