Mumbai: 

In happier times: Chitralekha and Laxman Rajamani

The Auckland High Court in New Zealand handed out a life sentence, without parole, for 12 years, to Laxman Rajamani (38) for murdering his wife Chitralekha (32) by slitting her throat at their home in Eden. A High Court jury had convicted Rajamani in 2006, but the Supreme Court had quashed the ruling last year and ordered a retrial.

Rajamani, a resident of Chembur, and Chitralekha Ramkrishnan, a resident of Ghatkopar, had an arranged marriage in 2002. However, there was trouble in paradise once they moved to New Zealand after marriage. On January 13, 2005, Rajamani, who works as an accounts manager in the American Express Bank, brutally murdered Chitralekha, who was employed with the Pacific Retail Finance Centre in Auckland. In a video statement to the police, Rajamani admitted to killing his wife, but said he was provoked to do so. Owing to differences between the two, Chitralekha was planning to leave Rajamani and move into a new flat. Rajamani slit her throat and dragged her body into a room upstairs. He put her corpse on the bed, attempted to clear the mess and also contemplated setting the house on fire. For this, he bought 70 litres of petrol in six red cans, which were later found in various rooms. "A day before the murder, Rajamani had called Chitralekha  and told her that he had quit consuming alcohol and drugs and that he was planning to return to India," said a relative.

The court ruled against Rajamani after his testimony.

Residents of Nirmal building in Garodia Nagar, Ghatkopar, where the Ramkrishnans stay, believe Rajamani has been let off with a mild punishment. Most residents that MiD DAY spoke to expressed disappointment. "It is a one-of-its-kind case. The court should have given a death sentence to Rajamani," said Shankarnarayan Vaidyanathan.