Crime TV show host gets lifer for wife's murder

Suhaib Ilyasi, the host and producer of the popular crime show India's Most Wanted, was on Wednesday sentenced to life by a Delhi court for murdering his wife Anju in 2000.

Additional Sessions Judge S K Malhotra pronounced the quantum of sentence in the case.

The prosecution sought capital punishment for the 51-year-old TV show host for killing his wife in the most brutal manner.

The court rejected the plea by the prosecution, as Ilyasi's counsel maintained that the convict had suffered 17 years of trial without violating the bail condition in the case based on circumstantial evidence.

Apart from life imprisonment, the court imposed Rs 2 lakh fine. It also directed him to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to Anju's parents.

"In the case in hand, it has been held that the convict, who was the husband of the deceased, committed her murder and gave it a colour of suicide," the court said.

Ilyasi, who was brought from Tihar jail after his conviction in the case on December 16, claimed innocence. He termed the court's judgement as "injustice".

Anju's mother Rukma Singh was happy with the court's order.

During the arguments, the prosecution contended the case fell into the category of rarest of rare as the convict "betrayed the faith of not only his wife but of the public at large", as he produced a TV serial and his image in the eyes of the public was that of a law-abiding citizen.

Ilyasi was earlier charged with milder sections, including Section 304 B (dowry death) of the IPC.

However, Rukma and Anju's sister Rashmi approached the Delhi High Court, which in August 2014 ruled that Ilyasi would be tried under Section 302 - murder.

Anju was rushed to a hospital from her East Delhi residence on January 11, 2000, with multiple stab injuries.

Ilyasi was arrested on March 28, 2000, as Anju's family alleged that he used to torture his wife for dowry.