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Journalism of Courage
The Delhi High Court has acquitted three brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law of a woman who had committed suicide in November 1995, observing that “a tendency has developed for roping in all relations of the in-laws as accused persons in dowry-related cases, and this appears to be the case here too”.
“The… trial court convicted all appellants based on conjecture and implications, which could not have been done as there was neither any proof of dowry demand nor harassment of deceased by the appellants…,” Justice Pratibha Rani said.
The trial court had sentenced the four — Mohd Aslam , Mohd Arif, Mohd Ashraf and Parveen — to seven years rigorous imprisonment under IPC Section 304-B (dowry death), based on a statement by the woman’s father.
The judge said, “Even the parents do not state that any of the appellants ever demanded dowry… or that the deceased was harassed on non-fulfillment of dowry demand,” adding that “the prosecution has failed to prove either dowry demand by appellants or that the woman was being harassed in connection with any such demand to prove it was a case of dowry death.”
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