The Delhi High Court on Friday acquitted former TV anchor Suhaib Ilyasi in his wife’s murder case. Ilyasi had challenged a lower court’s order, which had sentenced him to life in December last year.
Illyasi was convicted by the Karkardooma court in Delhi in connection with the death of his wife, Anju Ilyasi. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge SK Malhotra.
Rukma Singh, Ilyasi’s mother-in-law, had sought inclusion of the additional charge of murder against Ilyasi for her daughter’s death on January 11, 2000 in her plea. Section 302 of Indian Penal Code entails death penalty as the maximum punishment.
His wife, Anju Ilyasi, had to be rushed to hospital with multiple stab wounds in January 2000. She later succumbed to her injuries. Anju’s family had accused Ilyasi of harassing her for dowry, a charge he has always denied.
He was briefly arrested in dowry related harassment case before being released on bail. In 2014, the Delhi High Court had ordered that he be tried for murder as well. Though he moved the Supreme Court against the High Court’s order, but the top court rejected his appeal.