UP Judge Hands 23rd Death Sentence, Says Won't Bow to Mafia Pressure
A UP fast-track judge awarded his 23rd death penalty in four months, convicting a man for burning his wife over dowry.
A fast-track court judge in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced a man to death for setting his wife ablaze over dowry demands — the 23rd capital punishment handed down by his court in four months.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar convicted Nadeem under Sections 302 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code, also imposing a fine of ₹1 lakh. The case dates back to July 23, 2018, when Nadeem allegedly set his 23-year-old wife Shehzadi on fire in Shahpur town.
Shehzadi was admitted to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital in critical condition, where she later succumbed to her injuries. In a statement recorded before her death, she accused her husband of the attack.
Notably, all 11 prosecution witnesses turned hostile during the trial. The court nonetheless convicted Nadeem, placing decisive weight on Shehzadi's dying declaration.
Describing the crime as "extremely brutal and barbaric," the court ruled that it fell within the "rarest of rare" category, justifying capital punishment.
Following the verdict, Judge Diwakar asserted he would not discharge his judicial duties "under pressure from mafias, gangsters or criminals." He said he would "rather die than be called a coward judge," adding that he would resign if he could no longer follow his principles.
The judge also claimed he had been receiving threats and alleged that around 100 serious cases had been withdrawn from his court, purportedly to benefit criminals. In August, approximately 100 murder cases pending before him were transferred to another court through an administrative order, a move that came amid concerns among lawyers about the possibility of more death sentences, according to District Bar Association president Pramod Tyagi.
Death sentences are subject to confirmation by higher courts and remain open to appeal.