Man acquitted in dowry case 14 yrs after conviction

Observing that "Merely because suicide was committed (by the wife) within seven years of marriage, the same would not automatically give rise to the presumption that the suicide had been abetted by her husband", the Bombay High Court recently acquitted a 38-year-old man convicted of charges of abetment and dowry harassment.

The acquittal came 14 years after Shesrao Dange was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment. The Nagpur bench of the high court observed "It cannot be concluded that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judgment of the trial court, therefore, cannot be sustained."

As per the complaint lodged on April 9, 2002, by the father of the deceased Meena, it was alleged that the husband and his parents had ill-treated his daughter and demanded a dowry of Rs 5,000. Since he was unable to pay the same, they harassed Meena, who committed suicide.

The court, after going through the entire evidence, noted that "The complainant was informed about her daughter taking treatment two days prior to her death and he has lodged the complaint two days after her death, this delay is unexplained."