Man, family acquitted in dowry death case

tags:India

New Delhi:A city court has acquitted the husband and in-laws of a deceased woman whose parents changed their statement, saying that it was not a dowry death case. Earlier, the case was that the victim had been allegedly killed for not bringing enough dowry.

As the victim’s parents said that their daughter Babita died of tuberculosis (TB) and there was no demand for dowry, the court declared her parents ‘hostile witnesses’ and absolved her husband’s family from the charge of dowry death.

“There is no evidence on record to show that there was any dowry demand or she was tortured for not bringing dowry,� Additional Session Judge Mamta Sehgal said, acquitting husband Anil Kumar, father-in-law Khazan Singh and mother-in-law Dhanpati of the charges of murdering Babita.

Prosecution had alleged that Babita was murdered as she was unable to fulfil the dowry demands and had not given birth to child even after two years of marriage.

During cross-examination by advocate Shrikant Tyagi, victim’s father and mother Bal Kishen and Sona Devi said their daughter had been suffering from TB for a long time which could not be cured and denied that there was any demand for dowry.

After the death of Babita on April 17, 2004, the parents had alleged before the police that since their daughter could not bear child and give sufficient dowry, her husband used to beat her up after consuming liquor.

The defence counsel had contended that the victim committed suicide due to frustration as a result of her illness and asserted that it was just another case highlighting the rampant misuse of provisions under Sections 498-A (Dowry harassment) and 304-B (Dowry death) of the IPC.