The Uttarakhand High Court has put a hold on the conviction and five-year jail sentence of vaccine scientist Akash Yadav, who was found guilty of abetting his wife’s suicide.
The decision was made by a single bench of Justice Ravindra Maithani, who said that suspending the conviction was in the larger public interest. The court noted that Yadav, a PhD holder in biotechnology from IIT Kharagpur, is actively involved in vaccine research and development.
Due to his conviction, Yadav had been unable to continue his scientific work, which the court said was of critical value to society. Yadav had earlier faced charges under the Dowry Prohibition Act and in connection with his wife’s dowry death. The trial court in Rudrapur acquitted him of the dowry-related charges but convicted him for abetment of suicide.
He was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment. However, the High Court had already granted him bail and stayed the sentence while his appeal was pending.
Yadav later sought a stay on the conviction itself, stating it was necessary for him to continue his work in vaccine development. The court reviewed legal precedents and agreed to stay both the conviction and sentence until the appeal is finally decided.
Yadav has been working for the past three years as a senior manager at Indian Immunologicals Ltd., where he plays a key role in vaccine research and development.
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