Delhi Court convicts Bihar doctor in 2014 dowry death case

New Delhi: A Delhi court has convicted a Bihar-based doctor in a dowry death case, holding that his wife was subjected to cruelty and harassment before she died of aluminium-phosphide poisoning within three months of her marriage in 2014. 

Additional Sessions Judge Shunali Gupta was hearing a case against the doctor, who was accused of harassing his wife over alleged demands for a Volkswagen car and Rs 50 lakh. 

According to the PTI report, in an order dated May 30, the court said, "The deceased was subjected to cruelty by the accused by pressuring her to meet the demand of dowry of a Volkswagen car and Rs 50 lakh. Thus, the accused is liable to be convicted for having committed the offence of cruelty and dowry death." An FIR was registered at the Mehrauli police station, and charges were framed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 498A (cruelty by husband) and 304B (dowry death) in connection with the death of the victim on March 6, 2014.

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According to the prosecution, the couple married on December 12, 2013. The woman died after consuming poison at a flat in Delhi where the accused was staying. Medical evidence established that the cause of death was aluminium-phosphide poisoning.

The court noted that the woman died within three months of her marriage, thereby bringing the case within the statutory period contemplated under the law relating to dowry deaths.

The prosecution relied on the testimonies of the deceased's brothers and sister-in-law, who said she had informed them that her husband and in-laws were demanding a Volkswagen car and Rs 50 lakh, and harassing her over the demand.

A local guardian of the deceased also testified that before the marriage, a message was sent seeking details of a Volkswagen car and its price.

Rejecting the defence's contention that she was driven to suicide by alleged ragging and harassment at her medical college, the court held that the evidence led by the prosecution established cruelty and harassment in connection with dowry demands soon before her death.

"Even if for a moment it is assumed that the deceased was severely upset with the ragging ... she would have committed suicide at the medical institute and not have come to Delhi by a flight to the house of the accused in order to commit suicide," the court said, reports PTI.

The court observed that the accused failed to offer any explanation regarding the circumstances in which the poisoning took place, despite being present in the house at the time of the incident.

It then concluded that the prosecution had established its case through "clinching evidence" and convicted the doctor for cruelty and dowry death.

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