Section 304-B IPC - The Legal Chamber

The Supreme Court acquitted the appellant of charges under Section 498-A IPC. It held that the conviction, based solely on uncorroborated testimony of interested witnesses, was unsustainable. The Court emphasized that cruelty under Section 498-A must be proven by continuous or persistent conduct likely to drive a woman to suicide, which was not established by the prosecution evidence. Facts Of The Case: The case originated from the death of Chandra Devi, who was found deceased in her matrimonial home on June 15, 2001. Her father, Dharmanand Joshi (PW-1), filed a complaint the next day, alleging that his daughter had committed suicide by hanging. He reported seeing wounds on her body and expressed suspicion about her death, stating that the deceased had previously told him her mother-in-l...

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction under Section 304-B IPC (dowry death), affirming that the prosecution proved demand of dowry, cruelty, and unnatural death within seven years of marriage. The Court emphasized the presumption under Section 113-B of the Evidence Act, shifting the burden to the accused, who failed to rebut it. It clarified that contradictory defenses (accidental fall vs. suicide) weaken the accused's case, and consistent witness testimonies established dowry harassment. The judgment reinforced strict scrutiny of dowry-related deaths and dismissed the appeal, sustaining the 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence. Facts Of The Case: The case involved the death of Punita (alias Gayatri), who married the accused-appellant Virender Pal on February 28, 2008. Within months ...

Tag: Section 304-B IPC

Supreme Court Acquits Mother-in-Law, Cites Lack of Evidence in Dowry Harassment Case

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal in Dowry Harassment Case : Confirms 10-Year Jail for Husband in Dowry Death Case