Can a husband be called to his wife’s home and never return alive? This Bihar case exposes how a planned act inside marriage led to a shocking conviction—what exactly happened?
BIHAR: A court in Begusarai has sentenced a wife and her alleged lover to life imprisonment for the murder of her husband, a case that dates back to January 2024 and raises serious concerns about safety within matrimonial relationships.
The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Sanjay Kumar Singh in Manjhaul awarded life imprisonment to Rani Kumari alias Rani Raj and her boyfriend Mohammad Shehzad. Both convicts have also been fined ₹20,000 each, and if the fine is not paid, they will have to undergo an additional one year of imprisonment. The sentences will run concurrently.
The court convicted both accused under Sections 302/34 and 302/120B of the Indian Penal Code, holding them guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy.
As per prosecution details shared by Additional Public Prosecutor Rakesh Kumar, the incident occurred on January 7, 2024, in Fafaut village under Khodabandpur police station limits in Begusarai. The victim, Maheshwar Rai (25), belonged to Narhan village in Samastipur district.
The case was initiated on the complaint of the victim’s father, Ram Pravesh Rai, who accused his daughter-in-law Rani Kumari, her alleged lover Mohammad Shehzad, and three of her family members—Sunita Devi, Rozi Kumari and Sonali Kumari—of conspiring to kill his son. However, during investigation, police did not find sufficient evidence against the woman’s mother and sisters and filed charges only against Rani Kumari and Shehzad.
According to the FIR, Maheshwar Rai had married Rani Kumari in 2017 and they have a seven-year-old son. The complaint stated that there were frequent disputes between the couple, particularly over the wife’s social media activity, as she regularly posted videos on platforms like Instagram.
Maheshwar, who worked as a labourer in Kolkata, had returned home shortly before the incident. As per the complaint, he was called by his wife to her parental home in Fafaut village just before he was to leave again for work.
On the night of January 7, after having dinner, Maheshwar went to sleep. The prosecution case states that Rani Kumari then called her alleged lover to the house, and both of them strangled Maheshwar to death using a scarf.
Around half an hour later, Maheshwar’s brother Rudal, who was in Kolkata, called him. The phone was answered by someone else, and he reportedly heard suspicious sounds in the background. Sensing danger, he immediately informed his father and asked him to rush to the in-laws’ house.
When Ram Pravesh Rai reached the spot along with relatives, he found his son’s body lying outside the house, while the wife’s family members had already fled. Some local youths tried to take the victim to the hospital, but the family stopped them and informed the police instead.
Police began investigation on the same night. The then Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar had stated that the probe revealed that the victim’s wife and her lover had jointly planned the murder.
During the trial, the prosecution examined seven witnesses, including the complainant, the doctor who conducted the post-mortem, and the investigating officer. Based on the evidence and testimonies, the court, on March 25, held both accused guilty of murdering Maheshwar Rai as part of a conspiracy.
Reacting after the judgment, the victim’s father said:
“He was satisfied with the court’s decision and that justice had been delivered.”
The combination of Section 302 with 120B is critical—it shows not just murder, but a planned elimination. Section 34 ensures both accused cannot escape liability by shifting blame.
Explanatory Table Of Laws & Sections Applied
| Section | Law | Legal Meaning | Punishment | Application in This Case |
| Section 302 IPC | Murder | Intentional causing of death with clear mens rea | Death penalty or Life Imprisonment + Fine | Core charge for killing the husband by strangulation |
| Section 34 IPC | Common Intention | When multiple persons act together with shared intent | Same liability as main offender | Used to hold both wife and lover equally liable |
| Section 120B IPC | Criminal Conspiracy | Agreement between two or more persons to commit an illegal act | Same as main offence (here, murder) | Established pre-planned nature of killing |
Case Details
| Particular | Details |
| Case Title | State vs Rani Kumari @ Rani Raj & Anr |
| Court | Court of ADJ Sanjay Kumar Singh, Manjhaul, Begusarai (Bihar) |
| Bench | Single Judge Bench – ADJ Sanjay Kumar Singh |
| Case Type | Sessions Trial (Murder & Criminal Conspiracy) |
| Date of Incident | 07 January 2024 |
| Date of Conviction | 25 March 2026 |
| Prosecution Counsel | Rakesh Kumar (Additional Public Prosecutor) |
| Police Station | Khodabandpur Police Station, Begusarai |
| FIR By | Ram Pravesh Rai (Father of Deceased) |
| Accused | Rani Kumari @ Rani Raj, Mohammad Shehzad |
| Deceased | Maheshwar Rai |
| Charges Framed | Section 302/34 IPC, Section 302/120B IPC |
| Outcome | Life Imprisonment + ₹20,000 fine each |
| Additional Sentence | 1 year imprisonment in default of fine |
Key Takeaways
- Marriage does not guarantee safety for men; in some cases, it becomes the most dangerous space.
- The husband was lured to his in-laws’ house—this was not sudden, it was pre-planned targeting.
- Domestic crimes against men are under-discussed despite clear patterns of betrayal and conspiracy.
- The legal system acted only after the crime; there is no preventive protection framework for men in such situations.
- This case exposes a harsh reality—men are expected to trust blindly, even when that trust can cost them their life.
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