Aarti Sah’s family meet PM Dahal

Published On: February 20, 2024 12:21 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Feb 20: Family members of Aarti Sah who was found dead in her residence on 21 May, 2023 called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today.

On the initiative of Aam Janata Party Chairman Prabhu Shah, a meeting was held between Prime Minister Dahal and Aarti Sah's family at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday.

According to Aarti’s brother Prem, during the meeting, he informed PM Dahal about their struggle for justice. "We told the PM that the evidence in this murder case was destroyed, we were also beaten," he said, "He listened to us and then telephoned someone.”

Prem said that Prime PM Dahal has also promised to take initiatives for justice.

Aarti was found dead in her residence in Janakpurdham Sub-metropolis-9 Thapachowk on May 21. While Aarti’s husbands’ family reported it as a suicide, her maternal family alleged foul play, leading to the arrest of Aarti's husband Motibabu Sah and father-in-law Madanmohan Byahut Sudi after a complaint was filed.

The District Government Attorney Office, Dhanusha, filed a murder case against them at the District Court Dhanusha on 16 June, 2023. Following a pre-trial hearing on June 20, the district court remanded Aarti's husband and father-in-law into judicial custody. However, the Janakpurdham High Court released them, citing no immediate need for custody based on the evidence.

On December 6, the Supreme Court heard the writ petition filed by the District Government Attorney Office against the High Court's order. The Supreme Court upheld the order to release the father-in-law, Madanmohan Bayahut Sudi, while directing the imprisonment of Aarti's husband, Motibabu. Subsequently, Motibabu was arrested in accordance with the Supreme Court's order.

For about three months, Aarti's mother, father, sister, brother-in-law, and others have been staging protests at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu, demanding justice for Aarti, alleging that she was subjected to torture by her husband and in-laws on the pretext of dowry, which they believe led to her death.

Aarti and Motibabu were married on 13 July, 2020. Aarati’s maternal family contends that Aarti faced severe mistreatment from her husband and in-laws before she was killed and that these incidents were related to dowry.