Court Acquits Husband, Mother-In-Law Of Cruelty Charge In Dowry Death Case

A court in New Delhi on Friday acquitted the husband and mother-in-law of a woman, who died by suicide, holding there was not enough evidence to prove the dead was subjected to cruelty for dowry that drove her to take the extreme step.

The court also said "vague, general and unsubstantiated allegations" cannot be the foundation for sustaining the charge of cruelty.

The court was hearing a case registered by the adoptive mother of the dead who claimed her daughter ended her life on August 10, 2012 because she was subjected to harassment for dowry.

"The accused persons Dalbir Singh and Prakashi Devi are acquitted from charges under Section 304 B (dowry death), 498 A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code," Additional Sessions Judge Gautam Manan said.

The judge said the testimony of the complainant indicated the differences between the husband and the dead wife were not dowry issues but some "trivial matrimonial issues".

"It is hardly acceptable that a lady is being regularly harassed on account of demand of dowry and none of her family bothers to visit her or take necessary steps to intervene," the court said.

The court also said no police complaint was ever made about the dead being beaten or harassed by the accused persons.

"Such vague, general and unsubstantiated allegations cannot be made the foundation for sustaining charge under Section 498 A of the IPC," the court said.

Also, the court said, the complainant has deposed that the dead was depressed due to termination of her pregnancy.

"In the present case, though facts point out some matrimonial issues, there is not enough evidence on record to conclude that the dead was subjected to cruelty owing to dowry demand which resulted in her committing suicide," the court said.

"Other reasons are also forthcoming which may have led the dead to commit suicide," the court added.

Thus, the prosecution was not able to prove the charge under section 304 B of the IPC beyond reasonable doubt, the court ruled, while acquitting the two accused.

The case was registered at Dabri police station in southwest Delhi.

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