‘Dowry death’: Telangana HC acquits 5 of family citing lack of evidence

The case involved the death of a woman named Laxmi, who died by suicide on August 22, 2011, approximately 15 months after her marriage to Machanagari Surender Reddy (Accused No. 1). Her father initially alleged that Laxmi was harassed for an additional dowry of Rs 2 lakh. A trial court in Vikarabad convicted the husband, his parents, his sister, and his brother-in-law, sentencing them to life imprisonment in 2016.

‘Soon before her death’

In its common judgment dated December 10, 2025, the high court explained that for the offence to attract Section 304 B of the IPC, it must be established that “soon before her death”, the deceased woman was subjected to cruelty or harassment. “There should be a perceptible nexus between her death and the dowry-related harassment or cruelty inflicted,” the high court added.

Further, the court noted that it is not enough that harassment or cruelty was caused to the woman with a demand for dowry at some time, if Section 304-B is to be invoked. But it should have happened “soon before her death”. “If the interval which elapsed between the infliction of such harassment or cruelty and her death is wide, the court would be in a position to gauge that in all probabilities the harassment or cruelty would not have been the immediate cause of her death,” the bench stated.

Prosecution failed to prove ‘dowry death’

The court noted significant contradictions in the testimonies of the family members of the deceased compared to their initial police statements. The court also found that no independent witnesses were examined to prove the demand for additional dowry. The father of the deceased admitted before the court that he never lodged a police complaint regarding harassment prior to the death. The court also noted that there was no evidence of physical assault or a “panchayat” (community meeting) held to address the alleged disputes.

The court observed that the sister-in-law and her husband (accused no. 4 and 5) lived in Hyderabad and were only visiting for a festival, underlining that there were no allegations that they had harassed the deceased over additional dowry.

“It is settled law that however grave the offence may be, unless proves the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt, the accused is presumed to be innocent,” the court observed. The court added that the prosecution failed to prove that the accused demanded additional dowry, subjected the deceased to cruelty and harassed her shortly before her suicide. Consequently, the appeals were allowed, the trial court’s judgment was set aside, and all five accused were acquitted.