Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has granted bail to a man who convicted of abetting his wife’s suicide in 2012 and for harassment. The wife took the drastic step, where she jumped in a well along with her young daughter, when they were made to stand outside their home naked.
Santosh Shilimkar, 32, was convicted in August 2024 by a Pune sessions court under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498A (cruelty by husband or relatives) of the Indian Penal Code. He was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The prosecution claimed that Shilimkar, agricultural and sand contractor, subjected his wife to cruelty, particularly after the birth of their two daughters, one of whom required frequent medical attention. The situation escalated on July 16, 2012, during a heated argument after Shilimkar allegedly ordered his wife to cook pork for his friends. The altercation culminated in him reportedly forcing his wife and their daughter to stand naked outside their house throughout the night.
The victim later informed her family of the incident, weeping over the phone. The next day, unable to bear the physical and emotional abuse, she ended her life by jumping into a nearby well, along with her daughter.
During the trial, the sessions court relied on circumstantial evidence to convict Shilimkar. The court ruled that the combination of physical cruelty, public humiliation, and emotional abuse had driven the victim to take her life.
Shilimkar filed an appeal against the conviction and sentence before the Bombay High Court. His advocate, Satyavrat Joshi, submitted that Shilimkar was falsely implicated. He cited lack of direct evidence and inconsistencies in the prosecution’s narrative. He also argued that the case was largely built on hearsay, as no suicide note was found.
Opposing the bail plea, state prosecutor Manisha Tidke emphasized the gravity of the charges.
Justice RN Laddha, while granting bail, observed that Shilimkar’s appeal against the conviction was unlikely to be heard soon. Referring to Supreme Court precedents favoring a liberal approach to suspending sentences for fixed-term convictions during appeals, the court ruled that there was no extraordinary reason to continue Shilimkar’s incarceration.
The court suspended Shilimkar’s sentence and released him on bail, requiring him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 25,000 and comply with surety conditions.
