Ghaziabad: A local court on Monday sentenced a man to seven years in prison and imposed a cumulative fine of Rs 7,000 for dowry harassment after his wife died by suicide within two years of their marriage.Judge Manish Nigam of the additional district and sessions court convicted Kavinagar resident Rajesh Yadav under sections 498A (cruelty against a woman), 304B (dowry death) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, awarding two years, seven years and six months imprisonment under each section respectively. The court ruled that all sentences will run concurrently, and the period spent in custody will be adjusted against the sentence period. Rajesh has been in jail since July 2021.The matter is related to an FIR registered against seven members of Rajesh’s family by Bihar resident Prakash Kumar, the brother of the deceased woman, Babita. Police registered the complaint filed by Kumar on July 9, 2021, two days after the unnatural death of Babita in her matrimonial house in Ghaziabad. After investigation, police filed a chargesheet against the husband on Oct 5, while the court framed charges on March 31 next year.Appearing as a prosecution witness, the deceased woman’s father Deeplal Gop said there was no demand for dowry during marriage negotiations but Rajesh and his family members demanded Rs 2 lakh and a motorcycle on the wedding day. “Since we had already spent beyond our capacity, I asked to be excused and they agreed,” he said.Other family members also corroborated the demand.However, the demands became even more persistent two years later, the complainant said. In his testimony, Prakash said that shortly before his sister’s death, he had gone to her matrimonial home to once again convey to her husband and in-laws that they would not be able to give the demanded items. He also pleaded with them not to torture his sister for their inability to provide dowry.During the hearing, the court observed that a demand for ‘gifts’ after marriage also counts as asking for dowry. “An analysis of the evidence presented by the prosecution and the witnesses’ testimony makes it clear that the demand for Rs 2 lakh and a motorcycle as additional dowry was made by the accused. This falls under Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, as the demand is based on marital relations,” the court held.It further noted that the husband must provide an explanation for his wife’s death as it occurred in her matrimonial house. “In the present case, the deceased died at her in-laws’ home. The husband is responsible for explaining the circumstances and reasons why his wife hanged herself. The accused has not given any explanation of these facts and circumstances in his statement,” the court noted, holding the accused guilty under Section 304B of the IPC.
