Man shows ‘letter’ to prove wife was genetically suicidal

The in-laws and husband of Nishi Jethwani, who committed suicide by jumping off the 28th floor of her Mulund residence on June 27, have produced a ‘letter’ written by Nishi in her teenage years to prove that she had suicidal tendencies. They are seeking bail on that basis.

The Mulund police had earlier said that she did not leave a suicide note behind.

The letter, which reads more like a note, was allegedly written by Nishi when she was about 15. It was written on October 31, 2002, after her mother committed suicide, the bail application stated.

“The letter reflects the confused, frustrated, highly depressed state of the deceased. A mentally abnormal and imbalanced person alone can make such notes and writings,” the bail application stated. As per medical science, “suicidal tendencies can be seen in families across generations as depression is genetic”, it added. The matter will come up for hearing on June 14.

Nishi’s father had filed a complaint with the Mulund police alleging that her in-laws and husband harassed her. Based on the complaint, the Mulund police had booked husband Jitendra, father-in-law Mulchand, 53, mother-in-law Deepa, 49, and sister-in-law Sapna, 18, under section 498 A (cruelty by in-laws) and 304 B (death caused due to demand of dowry).

The note, accessed by DNA, was possibly written after consultation with an astrologer. It speaks about Nishi’s parents’ marriage date, her father’s star sign and “her sadesatti” getting over in the second week of November 2003. Sadesatti refers to bad phase in a person’s life. “All the views of life change after sadesatti gets over,” the note read.

The note makes declarations like - “I will dominate my husband a lot; I (will) have a lot of money in life, etc”. It also says, “I will have a thought of suicide if I have problems in my married life. My love marriage will not be successful.’’

Taking a cue from the note, the in-laws also said that she was dominating in nature and had predicted way back in 2001 that her marriage won’t be successful. They also said that she aspired to have her own money and independent house in 2001.

The bail application spoke of Nishi’s “painful and disturbed” childhood especially after her mother’s death and her father’s decision to re-marry. The bail application claimed that Nishi’s relationship with her stepmother was not good. She “never got love and affection from her family” and was sent to Panchgani where she finished her schooling and later to Pune where she went to college, it stated.

“Due to such traumatic experiences and imbalanced childhood, it is natural that she (Nishi) became mentally unstable and highly depressed and frustrated,” stated the application.

Sapna said she was a college-going student, and the case would ruin her life.