Mumbai: 7 years on, dentist gets life for murder

Representation Pic

On Monday, the Sessions Court handed down a life sentence to Mumbai-based dentist Dr Umesh Babole who in December 2016 had murdered his wife Tanuja in front of their 4-year-old child. The court verdict followed a seven-year-long trial, wherein the statement of the minor child was crucial evidence against his father.

Through the course of the trial, Public Prosecutor R V Keni examined 10 witnesses, asserting that the murder had been planned. "The court placed significant weight on the statement of the accused's minor son, who bravely testified that his father went to the kitchen, retrieved a knife, and used it to fatally stab his mother," Keni told mid-day. Following the compelling arguments presented by Keni, Additional Sessions Judge P P Bankar pronounced the imprisonment sentence.

The incident took place in December 2016, when Babole visited his wife's house after they had separated. She had previously filed a case of domestic violence against him. That night, Babole, along with Tanuja and their son, went to watch a movie and returned late. A heated argument ensued upon reaching home, culminating in Babole attacking his wife. "It was a planned murder, as he went there with the intention of bringing her back, went out for a movie, and then carried out the act," Keni asserted.

The defence lawyer representing Babole called upon a city-based psychiatrist to support his case, claiming that the incident occurred in a fraction of a second and that the accused suffered from depression. "During cross-examination, the accused confessed that he may not have been fully aware at that moment, but he quickly regained his senses," Keni said. Keni emphasised that while awaiting the detailed court order, the child's statement holds significant weight as strong evidence in the case, along with the testimony of the police officer who filed the complaint.

Additionally, the accused himself made a distress call to the police control room, alerting them to the murder. According to Keni, officers who arrived at the scene found Tanuja's body lying in blood with 38 stab wounds. The cellphone, knife, and other evidence were found at the crime scene.