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Madhumita Case: Poetic justice in real-life potboiler
Published on Wed, Oct 24, 2007 at 19:43, Updated on Wed, Oct 24, 2007 at 20:42 in 
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JUSTICE AT LAST: It was alleged that Tripathi got Madhumita killed as she had refused to undergo an abortion.
Dehradun/Lucknow: She was a young poet with fire in her belly, spicing up literary gatherings and political rallies with her theatrical delivery and strong words. He was a political strongman, MLA and minister in Mayawati's government of 2003.
She caught his eye and they were soon having an affair. An affair that had a bloody end.
The Madhumita Shukla murder case had all the elements of the quintessential Bollywood potboiler - an extra-marital affair, treachery, betrayal and murder.
On May 9, 2003, Madhumita, a UP-based poet, was shot dead in her Lucknow home. A signed but undated letter was found in which she left behind clues to her death.
She wrote: "Did I not dream of having a baby for four months? You may refuse to accept the child but as a mother how can I do that? Should I murder the child after bearing it in my womb for six months? Did you not think of my pain? You treated me like a commodity."
The man she was referring in her letter was UP politician Amarmani Tripathi, a former bahubali (strongman) politician with friends across the political spectrum
The sharp shooter was affiliated with the Congress, BSP, BJP and more recently, the Samajwadi Party.
Before entering politics, Tripathi was listed as a Category A history-sheeter, with 33 cases pending against him, including five relating to murder.
It was alleged that Tripathi got Madhumita killed as she had refused to undergo an abortion. While another version suggested that Tripathi’s wife Madhumani got the poet murdered after she learnt that she was having an affair with her husband.
Following a high level inquiry, Tripathi was immediately sacked by Mayawati government. In June, 2003, Mayawati, under pressure from the opposition, ordered a CBI enquiry into the case.
The CBI arrested Tripathi in September 2003 after DNA tests confirmed his involvement in the case.
The trial began in the District court of Dehra Dun as Madhumita's family expressed apprehensions that Tripathi and his wife may impede a free and fair trial in their home state.
On Wednesday, the District Court sentenced Tripathi, wife Madhumani and two others to life imprisonment. But Madhumita's family feels their quest for justice is far from over.
“We need to wait and see whether he stays in jail and his conviction is not just on paper. The journey and our struggle has just started,” says Madhumita’s sister, Nidhi.
It’s poetic justice for Madhumita and for the family, the adage law grinds slow but grinds fine has finally come true.
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Criminals in politics
Sir,
A special court in Dehradun has convicted former UP minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani Tripathi for
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