Delhi High Court denies bail to man accused of chopping wife's body, dumping it in septic tank

The Delhi High Court recently dismissed the bail application of a man accused of murdering his wife, chopping her body parts and dumping them in a septic tank in 2019 [Anshu Pal v The State]. 

Justice Girish Kathpalia said that while the accused, one Ashu Pal, has been in jail as an undertrial prisoner for six years, the Court cannot shut its eyes to the gruesome manner in which the woman was killed. 

“Of course, delay in trial is a ground for grant of bail. But that is not the only ground. While considering grant or denial of bail, the court cannot shut its eyes to the gruesome manner in which a lady was killed followed by chopping off of her body and throwing her in the septic tank,” the Court observed. 

According to the prosecution's case, Pal walked into the police station on February 22, 2019, and confessed that he had killed his wife, cut up her body, and dumped the remains in a septic tank. 

While he was being questioned, police received a PCR call from the deceased's brother reporting that his sister had been killed and that her body had been found in a septic tank. The brother's complaint alleged that Pal and his family had subjected the woman to torture and dowry demands after she gave birth to three daughters. 

The complaint further stated that the applicant had called the deceased's mother in September 2019 to tell her he had murdered his wife, a claim she did not initially take seriously until her son later discovered blood stains and the body at the applicant's house.

Pal’s lawyer told the Court that there were contradictions in the testimony of the deceased's mother and brother, that he had never actually visited the police station to confess, and that slow trial progress warranted bail. 

The prosecution opposed the plea, submitting that the blood-stained weapon and the deceased's clothes and jewellery had been recovered and forensically examined, and that the trial was not proceeding slowly. 

After considering the case, the Court rejected the bail plea. 

“Considering the above circumstances, I do not find it a fit case to grant bail to the accused/applicant. Therefore, the bail application is dismissed. Accompanying application also stands dismissed,” it ruled. 

Advocates Raghav Sharma and Vishvendra Singh appeared for accused Ashu Pal. 

State was represented by Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Sanjeev Sabharwal. 

[Read Order]