A Thane court in Maharashtra has acquitted a man and his two family members of charges of dowry death and cruelty to wife, citing delay in filing of the complaint. District Judge S A Sinha last week freed Balu Gaikwad (38), his mother Shobha Gaikwad (50) and sister Vanita Gaikwad, saying the prosecution's explanation about delay in lodging the complaint was not acceptable.

The prosecution told the court that the victim, Surekha Gaikwad, got married to Balu Gaikwad on April 26, 2012 and resided with her in-laws at Kalwa town in Thane. The in-laws repeatedly demanded Rs 2 lakh from her to buy a hut but since her family could not pay the money, she was harassed and tortured, according to the prosecution. On September 2, 2014, Balu Gaikwad informed his mother-in-law that his wife got burnt the previous night and was admitted to a hospital. But, the victim's mother did not come to enquire about her condition. Later, on September 8, 2014, the man informed his mother-in-law that his wife died at the hospital while undergoing treatment.