Complainant in ex-H’bag SDO wife’s ‘murder’ case turns hostile

Chatra: The high-profile "murder" case of Anita Devi, the wife of former Hazaribag (sadar) SDO, Ashok Kumar, took a turn after complainant Raj Kumar Gupta filed an affidavit in Hazaribag civil court, demanding withdrawal of the case.
Raj, the elder brother of the deceased, had charged Ashok of burning Anita on 26 December 2024, resulting in her death.
Ashok is in judicial custody in the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Central Jail, Hazaribag.
Raj on Tuesday told the Hazaribag civil court that the incident was not a murder but an accident, stating that his brother-in-law was "innocent". He claimed that the complaint was a result of a mere misunderstanding and that he did not want a false case to be filed against an innocent person.
Soon after the Anita's death, the city had witnessed a series of agitations led by Raj to mount pressure for the arrest of Ashok. He was finally arrested from Ranchi on February 9 this year. The former SDO had first sought anticipatory bail and later a regular bail in the Hazaribag civil court but both were rejected. He was also removed from his post.
Talking to TOI, senior advocate and vice-president of the Hazaribag District Bar Association, Bhaiya Sanjay Kumar, said submission of such affidavits never works in serious criminal cases like this.
"This affidavit will not give any benefit as the case will continue. However, there are chances of witnesses becoming hostile, which can affect the case," he added.
A police officer said so far, police have recorded the statements of over 30 witnesses during the course of its investigation. Police have also submitted a 36-page case diary in the court.
Police found that the incident took place near the door of the storeroom behind the former SDO's official residence, where an empty bottle of one-litre turpentine oil, matchsticks, and Anita's burnt clothes were recovered. All evidence recovered from the scene was sent to FSL for investigation.