In the 37-year-old case related to the glorification of the Roop Kanwar sati incident in Deorala (Sikar), a Jaipur special court yesterday, October 9, acquitted eight persons giving them the benefit of doubt.

The accused include Mahendra Singh, Dashrath Singh, Shravan Singh, Nihal Singh, Jitendra Singh, Uday Singh, Lakshman Singh, and Bhanwar Singh, who surrendered after 2004. In the same case, 25 people, including Rajendra Singh Rathore, Pratap Singh and Roop Kanwar’s brother Gopal Singh Rathore had already been acquitted in 2004. Apart from them, six accused have passed away and six are absconding.

Roop Kanwar of Nagaur had married Malsingh of Deorala on January 17, 1987. About seven and a half months later Malsingh passed away. On the same day, 18-year-old Roop Kanwar committed sati on Malsingh's funeral pyre. Villagers said that Roop Kanwar dressed up like a bride and went out in a “shobha yatra” with thousands of people before committing sati.

A case was filed against 32 people in connection with this incident, but they were acquitted by the Sikar court in October 1996.

The current case is from 1988 when 45 people allegedly held an event glorifying Sati and took part in a procession from Deorala to Ajitgarh that took place on Roop Kanwar's first death anniversary. This violated Section 5 (punishment for glorification of sati) of The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987, a law that was passed after Roop Kanwar’s death. The punishment for violation of this section carries imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 30,000.

All 45 were charged with taking part in the procession.

Source: Media Reports