Woman Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Husband's Murder; Alleged Lover Acquitted Due to Lack of Evidence

Agencies, Siliguri, April 8, 2025 : A woman was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Fast-Track Court in Siliguri on Tuesday for the murder of her husband. The court found her guilty of strangling her husband to death, but her alleged lover, who was also accused in the case, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

The incident dates back to August 18, 2023, when Subodh Mondal, a resident of Paikpara in Phansidewa, was found dead under circumstances that initially appeared to be a suicide. However, an autopsy later revealed that Subodh had been strangled. Following the post-mortem, police investigations uncovered that the woman, Manju Mondal, was involved in an extramarital affair with Mohammad Nafrul. When Subodh confronted his wife about the affair, Manju allegedly conspired to murder him, reportedly with the help of Nafrul.

The case was first registered as an unnatural death at the Phansidewa police station on August 19, 2023. Investigations revealed details of the extramarital affair and the confrontation between the couple, which led to the murder. Both Manju and Nafrul were arrested in connection with the crime, and on October 15, 2023, police filed a chargesheet.

During the trial, testimonies from 15 witnesses helped establish Manju’s involvement in the crime. However, despite being accused of aiding in the murder, Mohammad Nafrul was acquitted by the court due to lack of direct evidence. The court stated that no sufficient material was found to link him to the crime.

Gautam Saha, the Public Prosecutor, commented on the verdict, stating, “Manju has been sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment. Her lover, Nafrul, has been acquitted due to lack of evidence against him.”