A 41-year-old woman and her daughter, tried on charges of murdering their servant and destroying evidence, were acquitted by a local court which gave them the “benefit of doubt”.
According to prosecution, Minal Zaveri ran an eatery at Bhayander in Thane. Her 18-year-old daughter Apeksha was in love with their servant Mangaram Devasi, who stayed with them earning about '7,000-8,000 per month. The woman wanted her daughter to get married to him. However, the servant’s marriage was fixed by his parents in their native place and he was to leave this job and proceed to home. The victim wanted a final settlement of his wages by his employer.
The prosecution alleged that on May 11, 2010, the duo strangulated the victim to death. The mother was disturbed on hearing about the proposed marriage of the victim with someone else, hence the duo murdered him.
Counsel for the accused, Suresh Dwivedi, in his argument submitted that the woman and her daughter were not involved in the crime.
