New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) A Delhi court has dismissed the bail plea of a man accused of murdering his wife and attempting to sexually assault his minor daughter.

Additional Sessions Judge Shivani Chauhan said there was enough circumstantial evidence to prima facie say the accused murdered his wife when she objected to his sexually exploiting their daughter.

The court was hearing the bail plea of the accused, who said he was framed as the daughter did not witness the alleged murder.

According to police, the accused allegedly attempted to assault his minor daughter by forcibly removing her clothes during the intervening night of November 7 and 8 in 2023, but the child’s mother caught him in the act and raised an alarm, leading to an altercation between them.

The next morning, a heated argument ensued, during which the accused allegedly strangulated his wife, police said.

Additional public prosecutor Arun K V opposed the bail plea and argued that the case involved a heinous crime in which a mother was killed while saving her child from sexual assault.

While there may not be a direct eyewitness to the murder, the prosecutor said the case was supported by substantial circumstantial evidence and independent witnesses, and case properties linked the accused to the crime.

In its order dated May 31, the court said, “The victim clearly deposed that her mother had told her that her father was trying to remove her clothes and was trying to do wrong with her. The victim is a nine-year-old girl and cannot be expected to understand the nature of the wrong act which her mother was trying to protect her from.” The court said the accused was trying to sexually assault his daughter when the mother saw the act and prevented him from doing it, following which the couple fought and the next morning, when the daughter went out of the room to calm her weeping brother, the man “utilised the opportunity” and strangled his wife.

“Immediately thereafter, the father or the accused went missing. There is enough circumstantial evidence, including the subsequent conduct of the accused, which is prima facie sufficient to show that he had murdered his wife when she objected to him sexually exploiting their nine-year-old minor girl,” the court said.

The judge underlined the seriousness of the offence and the possibility of the accused attempting to harm his daughter if granted the relief.

“No ground for the grant of bail to the accused is made out. Bail application is hereby dismissed,” it held. PTI MNR MNR AMK AMK