Jaipur: A Sati Nivaran Special Court has acquitted eight persons accused of glorifying the death of Roop Kanwar on the first anniversary of her “Sati” act (a practice where a wife immolates herself on the funeral pyre of her husband), a banned practice in India, giving them the benefit of doubt.
Roop Kanwar’s case is the last known ‘Sati’ case in India
This was the last known “Sati” case in India, which led to the enactment of The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act of 1987 to penalise the glorification of “Sati” act.
The Sati Nivaran court acquitted eights persons – Mahendra Singh, Shrawan Singh, Nihal Singh, Jitendra Singh, Uday Singh, Dasrath Singh, Laxman Singh and Bhanwar Singh – who were accused of holding an event along with others glorifying the “Sati” act of Roop Kanwar around the first anniversary of the said alleged act.
Accused person glorified the ‘Sati’ act: Prosecution
As per the prosecution, the accused persons glorified the “Sati” act and thus violated section 5 of The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, which attracted imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 30,000 for the violation of this section of the Act.
Advocate Aman Chain Singh Shekhawat, who represented the accused persons, told the Indian Express that to prove the violation of section 5 of the Act, section 3 (attempt to commit sati) of the Act needed to be proved. “However, the prosecution and the investigation agency could not prove section 3 of the Act itself that Sati act took place and there was no material evidence which could prove that Sati act took place and that it was subsequently glorified,” Shekhawat said and added that the court said that the prosecution was not able to prove its case beyond doubt and acquitted the eight accused persons giving them the benefit of doubt.
There were 45 accused in the case
According to Shekhawat, there were a total of 45 accused in the case, out of which 25 persons were acquitted in 2004 by the court for lack of evidence, four accused are absconding, eight accused are dead and eight were acquitted by the court on Wednesday.
Roop Kanwar immolated herself at the pyre of her husband in 1987
Roop Kanwar was married to Mal Singh from Divrala in Sikar on January 17, 1987 and he all of sudden got ill and said to have developed pain in the abdomen. He admitted to a hospital on September 3, 1987 and he died on September 4, 1987.
Following the death of her husband, 18-year-old Roop Kanwar immolated herself at the pyre of her husband with the head of her husband in her lap and dressed up in “solah shringaar (16 adornments) on September 4, 1987. It was reported that she, along with a large number of villagers from Divrala and neighbouring villages, walked in a “shobha yatra” throughout the village before committing the “Sati” act. There were also reports and allegations by the state police that Roop Kanwar in fact did not commit the “Sati” act but was forced into the “Sati” act.
