Observing that doing differently would send the incorrect message to society at a time when matrimonial crimes are on the rise, the Kerala High Court on Monday declined to stay the 10-year term handed down to Kiran Kumar for the shocking dowry death of his wife, 23-year-old Vismaya. (State of Kerala v. Kiran Kumar S.)
The trial court’s ruling that Kumar had violated the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 498A (subjecting a woman to cruelty for dowry), 306 (abetting suicide), and 304B (dowry death) as well as Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961) was upheld by a division bench of Justices Alexander Thomas and Sophy Thomas.
The bench rejected Kumar’s claims that Vismaya killed herself because her father didn’t return her calls or because she killed herself because she was desperate to become pregnant yet her periods came on the same day.
This news is written by Ms. Amrita Singh, Research Assistant, All India Legal Forum.
ALL INDIA LEGAL FORUM 