Dowry death: HC upholds 10 years jail to husband

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has upheld 10 years jail term to a man whose wife committed self-immolation, saying she ended her life due to cruelty and harassment meted out by him for dowry.

The high court said it does not find any illegality or irregularity in the trial court’s February 2000 verdict and dismissed the appeal of Delhi resident Durga Dass while asking him to surrender.

Justice P S Teji said it was clear from the testimonies of the woman’s parents that their daughter was treated with cruelty by the accused for the purpose of dowry so as to intimidate and pressurize her to meet their illegal demands.

“It is, therefore, apparent that Sangita (victim) was harassed with a view to coerce her to meet unlawful demands of dowry from her husband and father-in-law….

“It is also clearly established that for the reasons of such cruelty and harassment which was made soon before her death, Sangita had set herself ablaze by pouring kerosene oil and that the same was the real cause of her death,” the bench said, adding that the case squarely falls within the ambit of dowry death.

The couple got married in April 1995 and the wife died in August 1995 after setting herself ablaze.

The court noted that the woman’s parents have deposed that Dass visited their house and demanded Rs 20,000 cash and scooter and his father also raised the same demand.

The in-laws used to ill-treat the woman to pressurize her to meet their demands, it noted.