Arif Khan, husband of Ahmedabad woman Ayesha, who died of suicide in February 2021, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by Ahmedabad sessions court. Ayesha had recorded a video right before jumping off in the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad. In the video that had gone viral on social media back then, Ayesha had accused her husband and his family of dowry and harassment.
23 year old Ayesha releases this Video before Jumping in the #SabarmatiRiver #Ahmedabad! Just listen to this poignant misery of ill treatment at the hands of the In-Laws and a Ruthless Husband! Are We even Humans? When millions of Women are treated in such Tragic Fashion! pic.twitter.com/sPQf9za7Pp
— zafar sareshwala (@zafarsareshwala) February 28, 2021
As per reports, the court considered above video message of hers as clinching evidence to pronounce sentence. The court noted that in order to stop the social evil of domestic violence, the accused should not be spared. Arif’s voice test was also carried out which was also considered an importance evidence.
Ayesha had also called her husband before jumping into the Sabarmati River. Police had recovered 70-minute call recording between Ayesha and Arif in which the latter was heard yelling at her and saying, “Go die and send me a video of your death.”
A week after Ayesha’s death, more details had emerged that revealed her husband Arif had an extra-marital affair with a Rajasthan girl. Ayesha’s husband Arif use to call up his girlfriend and indulge in vulgar conversations with her in the presence of Ayesha, reports have said. Despite harassment from her husband, Ayesha decided to remain quiet and not confront her husband.
Reportedly, Arif had confessed to Ayesha that he had another woman in his life and had maintained that he would not leave her for Ayesha. Earlier in 2020, Ayesha had also filed a dowry harassment case against Arif and his family at the Vatva Police Station in Ahmedabad.
She also called her parents before committing suicide. Her parents desperately tried to convince Ayesha to change her decision but they were unsuccessful. She told her mother, “All that has happened his enough, I am frustrated, I can’t tolerate it anymore, He (her husband Arif) wants freedom, I will give him the freedom.”
Her suicide has sparked several strong reactions on social media. Authorities had recovered the body and a case has been registered against her husband in the matter. He was later arrested in March 2021.
While the overwhelming majority of people empathised with the 23-year old, there were some who complained that she chose Haram over Halal.
