Ajit Roy and Monua were arrested 13 days after Anupam Singha's murder (File)

A woman and her partner were sentenced to life imprisonment by a West Bengal court today for the brutal murder of her husband two years ago. Anupam Singha, 34, was killed in his home in Barasat in North 24 Paraganas district on May 2, 2017, less than six months after his marriage. His wife, Monua was not home, but was on the phone with her partner, Ajit Roy, when he committed the murder.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each, adding that they would spend an extra year in prison if they failed to pay the amount. Monua had earlier been found guilty of conspiracy to murder and Ajit Roy guilty of murder.

On the day of the murder, Ajit Roy entered the house with duplicate keys provided by Monua, and hit Anupam Singha on the head with an iron rod. He then slashed his veins and shoved the rod into his mouth so Monua, who was at her parents' home, could hear his dying screams.

Kalpana Singha, Anupam Singha's mother, who is a resident of Bangladesh, broke down on hearing the quantum of punishment.

"We would have been satisfied, had they got death sentence," she was quoted in a PTI report.

The horrific killing had shocked the state when details of the crime, motive and modus operandi emerged during the investigation. Today, at the sentencing, people holding placards and posters appeared outside the court, demanding the highest possible punishment for Monua and Ajit Roy.

Anupam and Monua were married in January 2017 after a five-year relationship. He worked at a money exchange firm and also ran a tour agency in Barasat, a city located approximately 20 km from Kolkata. She was a contract worker in the municipal corporation. The couple lived in a flat and their families were well known to each other.

According to the police, Monua entered into an affair with Ajit Roy soon after her marriage. The two had known each other in school but drifted apart; she is a college graduate, while he is a Class 8 pass. He used to live near her maternal home, which is also in Barasat. Anupam Singha's family has said they had no idea about the affair.

The two were arrested 13 days after Anupam Singha's murder and a total of 27 witnesses deposed in the trial.

With inputs from PTI