Himal Press 
Arti Sah's family protesting in Kathmandu. (File Photo)
KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has decided to send Moti Babu Sah to judicial custody for the alleged murder of his wife Aarti Sah.
A joint bench of Justices Nahkul Subedi and Til Prasad Shrestha issued the order on Wednesday.
Aarti was discovered dead at her residence in Thapa Chowk, Janakpurdham-9, on May 21. Moti Babu reported to the police that Aarti had taken her own life. Subsequently, the police took control of Aarti’s body from the local Kavya Hospital for further investigation. The police later arrested Moti Babu and his father, Madan Mohan, after Aarti’s parents filed a complaint alleging murder. A murder case against the duo was subsequently filed at the Dhanusha District Court.
The Dhanusha District Government Attorney’s Office lodged a murder case against the father-son duo at the Dhanusha District Court. After the hearing, the district court remanded the two into judicial custody until a final verdict was reached.
However, the Janakpurdham High Court ordered the release of Aarti’s husband and father-in-law, ruling that immediate evidence did not warrant their continued custody.
The Dhanusha District Government Attorney’s Office challenged the high court’s decision at the apex court.
Hearing the petition, the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the high court’s decision to release Madan Mohan on a general date but determined that Moti Babu should be placed in judicial custody.
Aarti’s mother, father, sister, and other supporters have been staging protests in Kathmandu for the past three months demanding justice for Aarti. They allege that Aarti’s husband and in-laws murdered her after subjecting her to harassment related to dowry issues. Aarti and Moti Babu got married in 2020.
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