New Delhi, Aug 22 A Delhi court has convicted a man for attempting to throw acid at his estranged wife and threatening to disfigure her face, saying that the prosecution had presented an "airtight, fully corroborated case" against him.
Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi convicted Sanoj Yadav under IPC Sections 326B and 506 for attempting to throw acid and criminal intimidation.
In an order dated August 18, the court said, "The fact that the liquid fell on the street outside the gate, rather than staining the gate itself, is fully consistent with a sudden door closure. The physical bottle recovered from Sanoj's possession was scientifically proven to contain sulphuric and hydrochloric acid. The scientific report leaves no room for doubt."
According to the prosecution, Yadav and his wife Vinita had been living separately since June 2020 due to matrimonial discord and domestic violence.
The court was told that Yadav had allegedly made repeated threatening calls to Vinita, warning that he would throw acid on her face. Two days before the incident, she had lodged a written complaint with Sangam Vihar police regarding the threats.
On August 4, 2022, Yadav allegedly arrived outside Vinita's parental home in Sangam Vihar carrying a bottle containing a yellow liquid. When she opened the gate, he raised his hand and attempted to throw the liquid at her, but she quickly shut the gate, causing the liquid to fall outside.
The police later recovered the bottle from Yadav. Forensic examination established that the liquid contained highly corrosive sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid.
The court rejected the defence argument that no offence was made out because Vinita did not suffer any injury. It noted that under the provision dealing with attempted acid attacks, actual injury is not necessary and the attempt itself is punishable.
The court also rejected Yadav's claim that he had been drugged after being served tea at his wife's house, noting that he had produced no medical record or other evidence to support the claim.
The court found that the testimony of Vinita was corroborated by her mother, brother and daughter, besides the forensic evidence and recovery of the acid bottle.
Yadav was remanded to judicial custody. The court will hear arguments on quantum of sentence on August 25.
