Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961

The wife, Bhawna, filed a FIR in 2013 alleging dowry harassment by her mother‑in‑law and brothers‑in‑law under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The accused filed petitions under Section 482 of the CrPC to quash the FIR, but the High Court dismissed them even after a charge‑sheet was f…

The appellant, Karan Singh, was convicted under Sections 304-B and 498-A of the IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife, Asha Rani, who committed suicide within two years of marriage. The prosecution's case relied on the testimonies of three witnesses, whose statements about dowry demands were found to contain sign…

The appellants were convicted for a dowry death and related offences under the IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The High Court, noting certain procedural lapses, set aside the conviction and ordered a de novo retrial under Section 386(b)(i) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Supreme Court examined whether such la…

The deceased Roshani was married in 1985 and, five to six months later, her husband, mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law allegedly demanded additional dowry items such as a television, fan and buffalo. The mother‑in‑law allegedly inflicted a wound with a sickle; the deceased later ingested naphthalene balls and died of poi…

L.V. Jadhav, the father of the bride, complained that during his daughter's marriage the groom's father and son demanded Rs. 50,000 as dowry, threatening to halt the ceremonies. The Judicial Magistrate issued summonses, but the Bombay High Court quashed the proceedings, holding that no offence under Section 4 of the Do…

The husband, Dr. B.V. Ravi, filed a petition for divorce under Section 13(1)(ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act alleging desertion, and also sought restitution of conjugal rights. The Family Court found no proof of desertion and granted restitution, but the wife, Dr. Malathi Ravi, later lodged FIRs against the husband, lead…

The appellant, Smt. N. Usha Rani, married her first husband in 1999, separated and executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2005, and subsequently married the respondent twice, the second marriage being registered. The respondent obtained a decree declaring the first marriage void and later filed a criminal revi…

A complaint under IPC sections 498A, 406, 323, 506, 148 and 149 alleged dowry harassment by the husband, his parents, brother and sister‑in‑law. The Additional Sessions Judge held that only the husband could be prosecuted, finding no material against the other accused. The Punjab and Haryana High Court reversed this in…

The appellant, Munni @ Syed Akbar, was convicted for murdering his wife Gulsara Banu by strangulation using a cable wire, and also for offences under Sections 498A and 201 of the Indian Penal Code. Post‑mortem examination and a Forensic Science Laboratory report established asphyxia by strangulation and ligature marks …

Arun Garg was convicted for the dowry death of his wife Seema, who died within three years of marriage after alleged repeated dowry demands and harassment, culminating in her poisoning with aluminium phosphide. The trial court sentenced him to ten years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2,000; the High Court conf…

The father of a divorced woman filed an FIR in 2021 alleging that his former in‑laws had retained the gold ornaments he had given as stridhan at his daughter's 1999 marriage. The daughter had divorced in 2015, remarried in 2018, and a separation agreement had already settled all marital property. The High Court refused…

The deceased, Sonali Karmakar, committed suicide by hanging in her matrimonial home within seven years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that she was subjected to harassment and dowry demands by her husband and in‑laws, leading to her death. The trial court convicted the sister‑in‑law, husband, and mother‑in‑law und…

The appellant, Sukanti Moharana, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly pouring kerosene on her sister-in-law and setting her on fire, resulting in extensive burn injuries and death. The conviction was based primarily on a written dying declaration recorded by a doctor and an oral dying declaration made to t…

Bhairon Singh was convicted under Section 498A IPC for cruelty to his wife, based solely on the testimony of the deceased's brothers who recounted her alleged complaints of torture and dowry demands. The wife died accidentally by drowning, and the trial and High Courts acquitted him of dowry death and abetment of suici…

The respondents were convicted under IPC sections 323 and 498‑A and under Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, and sentenced to imprisonment and fine. They sought release on probation of good conduct under Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958. The question before the Supreme Court was whether Sect…

Ambika Mandal was convicted under IPC sections 304‑C and 306 and under the Dowry Prohibition Act for dowry‑related offences. She appealed the conviction, but the appeal was transferred from the Patna High Court to the Jharkhand High Court after the reorganisation of states. The appellant received no notice of the trans…

The appellant husband and his mother‑in‑law were accused of dowry death after the bride, aged about 24, was found strangled and burnt in her matrimonial home within three years of marriage. The prosecution proved, on circumstantial evidence, that the accused repeatedly demanded a Maruti car as dowry, harassed the victi…

The petitioner’s daughter died in August 1986 and the petitioner filed a criminal complaint under Section 498-A IPC. After the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986 inserted Section 304‑B IPC (dowry death) with effect from 19 November 1986, the petitioner sought to have the case transferred to a Court of Session for …

Gurmeet Singh was convicted under Section 304‑B of the IPC for the dowry‑related death of his wife, who died after consuming poison within four years of marriage. The appellant challenged the conviction, arguing that the prosecution had not proved the "soon before" dowry demand, that the presumption of causation under …

The appellants were convicted for dowry death (Sec. 304B IPC) and abetment of suicide (Sec. 306 IPC) after the victim died from severe burns within a year of marriage, allegedly following dowry harassment. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of Sec. 304B, including th…

The appellant, Kishangiri Mangalgiri Goswami, was convicted for abetment of suicide under s.306 IPC, cruelty and dowry harassment under s.498A IPC, and for dowry demand under s.3 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, based largely on letters he allegedly wrote demanding Rs.40,000. He appealed, arguing that the letters were uns…

The case involved Tejinder Pal Kaur, who attempted suicide after alleged dowry‑related cruelty by her husband Satvir Singh and his parents. The trial court convicted the accused under Section 116 read with Sections 306 and 304B IPC and under Section 498A IPC. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that Section 306 IPC punis…

The appellants, Kaliyaperumal and Muthulakshmi, were convicted under Sections 304B (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) of the IPC for the suicide of their daughter‑in‑law, Devasena, after alleged dowry demands and harassment. The trial court and High Court upheld both convictions, though the High Court reduced the 304B se…

The Supreme Court examined a criminal appeal challenging the summoning of the husband’s relatives under Section 498A of the IPC in a dowry‑harassment case. It observed that a large number of 498A cases are filed in the heat of the moment, often without bona‑fide evidence, leading to uncalled‑for arrests and hardship to…

The deceased Shilpa alleged that her sister‑in‑law Chanchal/Babita set her on fire and, in a dying declaration, named only her sister‑in‑law. The FIR initially listed nine persons, including the appellants, for offences under Sections 302 IPC, 498A IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act, but the charge‑sheet named only Chan…

Sultan Singh was married to Lavjeet Kaur, who died from severe burn injuries within four years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the accused and his mother set the fire after the husband demanded Rs 30,000 as dowry, a demand that was repeatedly made up to the time of death. The defence claimed the death was acc…

The appellant Kamlesh Prabhudas Tanna and his mother were convicted for dowry harassment, abetment of suicide and culpable homicide after the death of Sandhya, the sister of the informant, who allegedly committed suicide. The trial court found the prosecution evidence sufficient under IPC sections 304‑8, 306, 498A, 34 …

The Supreme Court examined the murder trial of Kundula Bala Subrahmanyam, who died from extensive burns after allegedly being set alight by her husband and mother‑in‑law over a dowry‑related dispute. The prosecution relied on a chain of circumstantial evidence: a clear motive (dowry and land registration), two oral dyi…

The appellant Rajinder Singh was convicted under IPC s.3048 for the death of his wife Salwinder Kaur, who died by poisoning within four years of marriage after repeated demands for dowry money and alleged ill‑treatment by the husband and his relatives. The trial court and the High Court upheld the conviction, finding t…

The deceased Seema was married in 1991 and soon after faced repeated dowry demands for a motorcycle and cash from her husband, Chandrahas, and his relatives. Despite a Panchayat‑mediated compromise deed in 1994, the harassment continued, culminating in her being beaten and later burnt to death in 1995. The prosecution …

The husband forced his wife to relinquish land given as stridhana, concealed her family’s mail, and, together with his parents, drove her out of the matrimonial home, leading her to commit suicide. The trial court convicted the husband under Section 498A IPC for cruelty and acquitted all accused of dowry death (Section…

The father of a deceased woman appealed against the acquittal of her husband and his mother, who had been charged under IPC sections 302, 498A and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for alleged dowry harassment and murder. The deceased was found hanging in a bedroom, and the trial court had convicted the husband ba…

The appellants, the husband and his parents, were convicted for the suicide of their wife, who allegedly suffered dowry‑related cruelty. The trial court sentenced them under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498‑A (cruelty) of the IPC, and the High Court reduced the sentence but upheld the convictions. On appeal, the Su…

The appellant, a mother‑in‑law, was accused of repeatedly torturing her daughter‑in‑law over dowry demands, leading the young woman to commit suicide by poison. The trial court convicted her under Sections 304B and 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, but the High Court acquitted her of those off…

The appellant Dinesh was convicted for the death of his wife Manju Bala, who committed suicide by ingesting a pesticide within four years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that Dinesh and his brothers repeatedly harassed the deceased for additional dowry items such as a television and a gold chain, and barred her pa…

The appellant Rajesh Pandey's wife died from burns five years after their marriage. The prosecution alleged that Pandey, his parents and sister harassed the wife for dowry and burned her to death by pouring keroselle. The trial court convicted all accused under IPC sections 3048 and 498A and under sections 3 and 4 of t…

Sunita Jain alleged that her husband Pawan Kumar Jain and his parents harassed her for dowry, physically and mentally torturing her, leading her to lodge an FIR. The trial court framed charges under IPC sections 498A, 506, 406, 34 and Dowry Prohibition Act sections 3 and 4. The High Court, invoking its inherent power u…

Arvind Kumar married Sadhna and, along with his mother Prem Bai, repeatedly demanded additional dowry items. Sadhna, unable to meet these demands, was allegedly harassed and tortured, leading her to set herself on fire and die within 1.5 months of marriage. Both were convicted under IPC s.306 (abetment of suicide) and …

Raman Kumar was convicted by the High Court for dowry death under Sections 304B and 498A of the IPC based on the death of his wife Suman Bala, who allegedly died from burns after being allegedly harassed for dowry. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of a dowry death,…

The appellant, his brother and father were tried for murder (IPC s.302) of the appellant's wife; the trial court acquitted them after witnesses turned hostile. The Karnataka High Court, however, convicted the appellant under IPC s.304B (dowry death) and s.498A without a specific charge for s.304B. The Supreme Court exa…

The appellant, S. Mahaboob Basha, was convicted under Section 498A IPC for subjecting his wife, PW‑1, to cruelty and dowry harassment, along with other offences. The prosecution presented testimony of the wife, her brother, and mother, and documentary evidence establishing repeated ill‑treatment and unlawful dowry dema…

The appellants, relatives of the husband in a matrimonial dispute, were charged in an FIR alleging they instigated dowry demands, although they lived in Hyderabad while the complainant resided in Guntur. The complainant had earlier withdrawn a restitution of conjugal rights case and later filed a police complaint after…

The complainant appealed against a Madras High Court order that granted anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C. to three accused who were apprehending arrest in a dowry‑related murder case. The High Court had stipulated detailed conditions and effectively released the accused without requiring their surrende…

M. Venkateswaran was convicted under Section 498A of the IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for demanding gold sovereigns and harassing his wife‑de‑facto complainant. The trial court sentenced him to three years imprisonment and a fine, which the Madras High Court modified to two years imprisonment under Se…

The appellant, K.V. Prakash Babu, was convicted under Sections 498‑A and 306 of the IPC for the suicide of his wife, who allegedly suspected him of an extra‑marital affair. The prosecution alleged that the husband's alleged relationship and the resulting suspicion constituted mental cruelty that drove the wife to kill …

The appellants, the mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law of the deceased Sahitya, were convicted by the trial court and the Karnataka High Court for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC based on a prosecution theory that they conspired with alleged assailants (accused Nos. 4 and 5). The Supreme Court exa…

The appellant, Ramanuj Kumar, filed a petition for divorce under Sections 13(1)(ia) and (iii) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging irretrievable breakdown of his marriage to Priyanka. The parties had been living separately for over eleven years, with the appellant caring for their elder daughter and the respondent carin…

The Supreme Court examined the case of Ram Badan Sharma and his father-in‑law, who were accused of killing their daughter‑in‑law Sanju Kumari by poisoning her after persistent demands for a colour TV, a motorcycle and cash. The prosecution proved that the accused repeatedly demanded dowry, harassed and beat the victim,…

The deceased Sushila, married to Devender Singh, went missing six months after her marriage and her body was later recovered from a river. The prosecution alleged that she was subjected to dowry harassment, including a demand for Rs.2 lakh or a house, and that she died from injuries before falling into the river, const…

The appellant, Dr Nallapareddy Sridhar Reddy, was originally charged under Section 498A IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act. After the trial had proceeded, the public prosecutor filed an application under Section 216 of the CrPC to add charges of cheating (IPC ss. 406 and 420) based on an additional charge‑sheet filed in…

The deceased, Neelam, died from extensive burn injuries within seven years of her marriage to the son of the appellants, who were her father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law. The prosecution alleged that the accused demanded a motorcycle and Rs 50,000 as dowry and threatened her, invoking the presumption of dowry death under S…

The trial court acquitted five accused persons of offences under Sections 302 read with 149, 304B and 498A of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The informant filed a criminal miscellaneous application under Section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking leave to appeal the acquittal. The…

Charan Singh, the husband of the deceased Chhilo Kaur, was convicted under Sections 304B, 498A and 201 of the IPC for allegedly killing his wife over dowry demands. The trial court sentenced him to ten years' rigorous imprisonment under 304B, two years each under 498A and 201, which the High Court later reduced the 304…

Karuna, the wife of Anand Kumar, died by suicide within seven years of marriage. Kumar, his parents and brother were charged under IPC s.306 (abetment of suicide), s.498A (cruelty) and the Dowry Prohibition Act s.4. The trial court acquitted the parents and brother but convicted Kumar based on a letter (Exhibit P‑20) a…

The deceased Jeeja, married to appellant Premkumar, died by suicide in Tamil Nadu on 14 Feb 2003. Her father‑in‑law reported the death to the Courtallam police (Tamil Nadu) who registered a case under s.174 CrPC and concluded it was a suicide due to mental illness, halting further investigation. The deceased’s father l…

The husband and wife were married in 1989; the wife later filed a criminal complaint against the husband and his family under several IPC provisions and the Dowry Prohibition Act, which led to their arrest. The husband filed for divorce on the grounds of cruelty and alleged irretrievable breakdown, and the wife was lat…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of the accused who were convicted for dowry death after the victim, Kodimalar, was set on fire by her in‑laws. The victim gave a dying declaration identifying the accused, which was recorded by a Judicial Magistrate in the presence of a doctor who certified her consciousness. The a…

The case involved the suicide by self‑immolation of Akkamahadevi, married to the accused, who was alleged to have subjected her to mental and physical cruelty for dowry. The trial court convicted the accused under IPC sections 498A, 304B (read with s.34), and sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, based largely…

The petitioners, both commercial pilots, claimed to have "solemnised" their marriage on 7 July 2021 and obtained a marriage certificate from Vadik Jankalyan Samiti, which was later used to register the marriage under the Uttar Pradesh Marriage Registration Rules, 2017. In reality, no Hindu rites or saptapadi were perfo…

Rupali, married to Biswajit Halder, alleged that her husband and in‑laws repeatedly demanded additional dowry items after the marriage. She committed suicide within seven years of marriage. The trial court convicted the appellants under IPC Sections 304B (dowry death), 498A and the Dowry Prohibition Act, imposing multi…

The wife, Sukanya, filed a complaint under IPC s.498A and Dowry Prohibition Act s.4 against her husband Sunder Babu, his parents, sister and maternal grandmother, alleging dowry harassment. The husband had left for the USA six months after their marriage and the complaint was lodged many months later without any explan…

The wife of the first appellant died under suspicious circumstances and a FIR was lodged under Sections 304B and 498A IPC read with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The father of the deceased later filed a private complaint under Section 6 of the Dowry Prohibition Act alleging that dowry amount and articl…

The petitioner-wife Rinku Baheti filed a transfer petition seeking to move a pending divorce suit to the Pune Family Court and opposed the respondent-husband Sandesh Sharda's application under Article 142(1) for a decree of divorce on the ground of irretrievable breakdown of marriage. The parties had a brief marriage o…

The deceased Saroj Bai was found hanging in her matrimonial home within seven years of marriage. The State alleged that her husband’s family demanded a motorcycle as dowry, subjecting her to cruelty and harassment, thereby invoking Sections 304B and 498A of the IPC and the statutory presumption under Section 113B of th…

The appellants Devinder @ Kala Ram, his mother and his brother's wife were convicted under Sections 498-A and 304-B of the IPC for dowry harassment and the death of Devinder's wife by burns. The Supreme Court examined the evidence, finding that witnesses PW‑2 to PW‑5 reliably proved continuous dowry harassment, thereby…

The father of a deceased woman (Gajanand Agarwal) appealed against the Orissa High Court’s grant of bail to two accused (Bimal Kumar Khetan and Sunil Kumar Khetan) in a dowry‑death case involving offences under Sections 498A, 304B, 302, 406 IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Earlier bail applications had b…

The appellant, a medical representative, was married to Panakanti Kavitha who was found dead in their rented house within three months of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the appellant had repeatedly harassed her for dowry, leading to her death by asphyxia due to throttling, and charged him under Sections 498-A, …

The appellant husband, Ram Sahay Mahto, and his mother-in-law, Parvati Devi, were convicted under Sections 304B, 201 and 34 of the IPC for the death of the appellant's wife, Fulwa Devi, who disappeared from her matrimonial home and was later found dead in a river. The prosecution alleged that the accused demanded dowry…

Dr. Naresh Kumar Mangla filed a criminal appeal challenging the Allahabad High Court's order granting anticipatory bail to his deceased daughter's in‑laws under Section 438 CrPC. The FIR alleged dowry harassment, assault in 2017, money demands and the unnatural death of the daughter within seven years of marriage, invo…

The deceased, Babita Devi, allegedly died after being forced to consume poison following dowry harassment by her husband’s relatives. The father‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law were tried and convicted under Sections 304B (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) of the IPC, as well as under the Dowry Prohibition Act. The High Court a…

The appellant, Kuldeep Kaur, the mother‑in‑law of Jagpreet Kaur, was convicted under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for abetment of suicide after the bride died by hanging within four months of marriage. The prosecution alleged dowry demands and harassment, but the trial court found no specific evidence of dowry …

The wife filed an FIR in Allahabad alleging dowry harassment, physical and mental torture by her husband and his family, naming the husband, his parents, brother and sister. The brother and sister, who were unmarried, sought quashing of the criminal proceedings under Section 482 of the CrPC, claiming the FIR was filed …

The appellants challenged the jurisdiction of a Chennai Metropolitan Magistrate to try a complaint alleging offences under Sections 498A, 406 IPC and the Dowry Act, arguing that no part of the cause of action arose within the magistrate's local area. The High Court dismissed their Section 482 application, holding the m…

M. Narayan was convicted for dowry death and cruelty after his wife Ganga was found hanging within two years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that Narayan repeatedly demanded additional dowry, subjected her to physical and mental harassment, and threatened her, leading to her suicide. The trial court acquitted him,…

The Supreme Court examined the suicide of a young woman within months of her marriage, for which her brother‑in‑law (A‑1) and mother‑in‑law (A‑2) were convicted under Sections 304‑B IPC and 498‑A IPC for demanding dowry. The State appealed the High Court’s acquittal of the accused, arguing that a dowry demand, even wit…

The appellant Rajiv Singh was convicted under Sections 304B, 201 and 498A for the alleged murder of his wife Archana during a honeymoon train journey, based on a dead body found near the railway tracks. The Supreme Court examined whether the body was indeed Archana's, whether the prosecution proved a homicidal death, a…

The case involves the death of Saroj, a married woman, within four months of her marriage. Her father alleged that the husband, his father, brother and brother‑in‑law demanded dowry, threatened her and subsequently murdered her and attempted to burn the body. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the High Court co…

The appellant Sanjay Kumar Jain was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for the death of his wife within fourteen months of marriage, based on circumstantial evidence and a post‑mortem indicating strangulation. The Supreme Court found serious inconsistencies in the prosecution’s version, including uncertain acces…

The husband (Pathan Hussain Basha) and his mother‑in‑law were convicted under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498A of the IPC for the suicide of the wife, who had been harassed for unpaid dowry. The Supreme Court examined whether the statutory ingredients of a dowry death were satisfied and whether the onus of proving…

Arathi Sandi and Sandi Jagadrakshaka Rao, a married couple residing in the United States, fought a divorce and child‑custody dispute. The US Superior Court initially granted primary custody of their US‑citizen son to the mother, later modifying the order to make the father the custodial parent and issuing a writ of hab…

The second respondent lodged a complaint under Section 498A IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act against her husband and his parents. The accused filed an application under Section 205 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking exemption from personal appearance, citing the 1,750 km distance between their resi…

The petitioners, Bimla Tiwari (informant), challenged a Patna High Court order that granted pre‑arrest bail to the accused in a dowry‑related case (IPC §§406, 420; Dowry Act §§3, 4) subject to the accused’s payment of Rs 75,000. The Supreme Court examined whether bail can be conditioned on monetary payment and whether …

Baikunth Singh filed a complaint under IPC s.406, leading the trial court to take cognizance and issue summons against respondents 2 and 3. The respondents filed a petition under CrPC s.482, impleading the appellant, and the Patna High Court quashed the trial court's order without giving any notice to the complainant, …

The appellant-wife filed criminal and civil proceedings alleging cruelty, hurt and dowry demands by her husband, leading to multiple interim maintenance orders. After nine years of separation, failed reconciliations and pending litigations, the parties mutually agreed that the marriage was irretrievably broken. The Sup…

The appellants, who are relatives of a husband, were summoned in a complaint under IPC sections 498A, 323, 504, 506 and Dowry Act s.4 after the husband’s marriage had been dissolved by an ex‑parte divorce decree on 31‑05‑2012. The complaint, filed three years after the divorce, alleged that the appellants had visited t…

The appellants were charged under Sections 498A and 406 of the IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act after a matrimonial dispute. While the criminal case was pending, the parties reached a mutual settlement, and the complainant wife filed an affidavit supporting the settlement. The trial court rejected the application to d…

The State of Karnataka appealed the acquittal of the father, mother and brother of Dattaraj in a dowry death case where the victim, Savita, died of burn injuries within seven years of marriage. The trial court had convicted all four accused under Sections 498A, 304B read with Section 34 of the IPC and Sections 3, 4 and…

The father of a married woman filed a complaint alleging that her husband, brother‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law demanded dowry, beat her and eventually hanged her. The FIR named all of them and the prosecution charged the husband, the brother‑in‑law (first appellant) and the mother‑in‑law (second appellant) under IPC secti…

A.E. Rani filed a complaint under IPC s.395 and the Dowry Act alleging that relatives forcibly took movable articles belonging to her and her deceased husband. The police report concluded no offence, prompting Rani to file a fresh complaint under s.173, s.156(3) and s.190 CrPC. The Metropolitan Magistrate, after re‑exa…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of A.K. Devaiah, convicted under Sections 3, 4, 6 of the Dowry Prohibition Act and Sections 498‑A and 304‑B of the IPC for the death of his wife, who committed suicide by self‑immolation within a year of marriage. The prosecution proved that the husband demanded dowry, that the wif…

The State of Karnataka appealed the acquittal of Smt. Suvarnamma and her husband Manjunath for the dowry‑related death of the bride, Soumya, who died from severe burn injuries within seven years of marriage. The prosecution proved that the accused had harassed the victim for dowry and that the mother‑in‑law poured kero…

The deceased woman repeatedly fled her matrimonial home due to alleged dowry harassment and cruelty by her husband, mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law, and filed complaints and a maintenance suit. She later died after ingesting poison, claiming it was a mistake, and gave a dying declaration to that effect. The trial court…

The appellant, Mustafa Shahadal Shaikh, was convicted for the dowry death of his wife, who committed suicide by poisoning within seven months of marriage. The prosecution relied on the testimony of the deceased's close relatives, who detailed repeated harassment and demands for dowry by the appellant and his family, in…

The case arose from a conviction of Sandeep Singh Hora for offences under Sections 304B, 498A, 406 IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, including life imprisonment. While the appeal against the conviction was pending, the Allahabad High Court granted him bail under Section 389 of the CrPC without reco…

The State of Karnataka charged Narsa Reddy and three others with murder and related offences. During the trial, two police officers were added as accused for disposing of the body, but they claimed that prosecution required prior sanction under Section 197 of the CrPC. The Sessions Judge rejected their claim, leading t…

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of Durga Prasad and others under IPC sections 498-A and 304-B for the alleged dowry death of Kripa Bai, who committed suicide within seven years of marriage. The trial and High Courts had relied solely on the testimony of the victim's mother and brother, alleging cruelty and ha…

The appellant, a husband, was convicted under IPC sections 498A (dowry harassment) and 306 (abetment of suicide) for the death of his wife Girija, who committed suicide within seven years of marriage in their matrimonial home. The prosecution proved that Girija had suffered multiple physical injuries and mental cruelty…

Rajinder Kumar was convicted for the dowry death of his wife, Raj Rani, who was allegedly harassed by him and his family for a demand of Rs 20,000 after marriage. The deceased’s brothers, Ganpat Rai and Hari Chand, testified that the harassment occurred shortly before her death, which was caused by aluminium phosphide …

The appellants, Sanapareddy Maheedhar and his parents, were charged under Sections 498A and 406 IPC read with the Dowry Prohibition Act for alleged dowry harassment and cruelty towards the appellant's wife, who later obtained a divorce in the United States and remarried. The Metropolitan Magistrate took cognizance of t…

The appellant, Rameshwar Dass, was convicted under Section 304B of the IPC for the dowry death of his pregnant wife, Sushma Rani, who allegedly committed suicide after being tortured for a dowry demand of Rs 40,000. The prosecution relied on the husband’s telegram to the father‑in‑law, testimony of the brother‑in‑law, …

The appellant, Surinder Singh, was convicted under Sections 3048 and 498A of the IPC for the death of his wife Anita, who died by burns within 94 days of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the husband and his family were dissatisfied with the dowry received and repeatedly harassed Anita, demanding Rs 60,000 for the…

The deceased, Smt. Kailash, was married to Sat Pal and allegedly subjected to harassment by her mother‑in‑law (Smt. Shanti) and another relative for not providing a scooter and television as dowry. She was found dead under unnatural circumstances within seven years of marriage, and the accused were charged under IPC se…

The complainant filed a criminal complaint under sections 498‑A, 406, 341, 323 and 120‑B IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act against her husband and his immediate relatives, including the married sister‑in‑law (Preeti Gupta) and the unmarried brother‑in‑law (Gaurav Poddar). The trial court issued summ…

The appellants were arrested for a dowry death under Section 304B(8) of the IPC and applied for bail, contending that the police challan had not been filed within the statutory period. The trial magistrate rejected bail, holding that the challan was filed within 90 days, while the Sessions Judge granted bail, interpret…

The appellant Subramaniam was charged with murder (s.302 IPC), dowry harassment (s.498A IPC) and a dowry prohibition offence (s.4 DP Act) after his wife was found dead in their home. The trial court acquitted him, but the High Court convicted him for murder, relying on the fact that the couple lived together, the alleg…

The appellant Narayanamurthy was convicted by the Karnataka High Court under Sections 498A and 3048 of the IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife Jagadeshwari. The prosecution alleged that the accused and his parents harassed the deceased for not providing dowry and that she committed suicide by self‑immolation. T…

The appellant Vipin Jaiswal was convicted under Sections 3048 and 498A of the IPC for the death of his wife, who died from burn injuries. The prosecution alleged that the wife was subjected to cruelty and dowry harassment, citing a demand of Rs.50,000 for a computer six months after marriage. The appellant claimed the …

Kashmir Kaur and another were convicted under Section 3048 IPC (dowry death) read with Section 34 IPC and Section 498A IPC for the death of the deceased woman, which occurred 11 months after her marriage. The prosecution proved that the victim was repeatedly harassed and tortured by her mother‑in‑law, brother‑in‑law an…

Tarsem Singh was convicted under Section 3048 of the IPC for the death of his wife Amriko, alleged to have been caused by dowry‑related cruelty. The prosecution alleged harassment for insufficient dowry and childlessness, but the FIR and evidence did not show any demand for dowry made "soon before" her death. The Supre…

Gowramma, a married woman, died from severe burns after allegedly being doused with kerosene by her husband Anjanappa. She gave a dying declaration implicating him, which was recorded by a police officer and endorsed by the attending doctor, who testified that she was conscious and fit to speak. The trial court acquitt…

Shobha Rani, a postgraduate, filed for divorce from her husband Madhukar Reddi on the ground of cruelty, alleging repeated dowry demands by the husband and his parents. The trial court and the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed her petition, holding that the demands did not amount to harassment and that she was hypers…

Reeta Kumari married Manmohan Singh in February 1999 and was repeatedly harassed by her in‑laws for a scooter and a golden bangle as dowry. She died by consuming aluminium phosphide in June 1999 while pregnant. The trial court convicted the father‑in‑law (Kishan Singh) and mother‑in‑law (Bachni Rani) under Sections 304…

Randhir Singh and another were convicted under Section 306 read with Section 34 of the IPC for abetting the suicide of their wife, who allegedly died by self‑immolation within seven years of marriage. The prosecution proved that the accused repeatedly demanded additional dowry, threatened a second marriage, and harasse…

The appellant Rajesh Chaddha was convicted under Section 498A of the IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for alleged cruelty and dowry demands by his wife, who claimed physical and mental torture, including a miscarriage. The High Court, exercising revisionary jurisdiction, upheld the conviction despite the …

The appellant's daughter died within five months of her marriage, leading to FIRs under Sections 498A, 304B, 302, 406 IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Multiple bail applications under Section 438 of the CrPC were filed by the accused, initially rejected by the Sessions Judge and the High Court, but later…

Pratibha Rani, an estranged wife, filed a criminal complaint under s.406 IPC alleging that her husband Suraj Kumar, his father, brothers and brother‑in‑law had misappropriated her stridhan (dowry) worth Rs.60,000 that was entrusted to them at the time of marriage. The Punjab & Haryana High Court quashed the complaint u…

The appellant, Dinesh Kumar Kalidas Patel, was convicted by the Sessions Court for offences under Sections 498A and 201 of the Indian Penal Code after his wife allegedly committed suicide by hanging. The High Court acquitted him of the 498A charge but upheld the conviction under Section 201, relying on the fact that th…

The appellant, a 55‑year‑old mother‑in‑law, was granted regular bail by the First Additional Sessions Judge in a dowry‑related murder case, despite earlier allegations that she was absconding. The High Court, exercising suo motu powers under Section 439(2) of the CrPC, cancelled that bail, contending that the trial cou…

Bhupendra was married to Geeta Bai in 1993. After repeated dowry demands, Geeta consumed wheat tablets on 20 August 1996 and died of suspected poisoning. The trial court convicted Bhupendra and his father under sections 498‑A, 304‑B and 306 IPC; the High Court upheld Bhupendra's conviction but acquitted his father. On …

The appellant Bhola Ram was convicted under Sections 304‑B and 498‑A IPC for the alleged dowry death of his sister‑in‑law Janki Devi, who committed suicide by poison. The prosecution alleged that Bhola Ram, along with his brother Darshan Ram and mother Vidya Devi, demanded additional dowry and subjected the victim to c…

Suresh Kumar was convicted under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498‑A IPC for the death of his wife Sulochana within seven years of marriage. The trial court acquitted him, deeming the death accidental, but the High Court reversed the acquittal, holding that the death occurred under non‑normal circumstances, that dow…

The appellant, S. Gopal Reddy, was convicted under Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 for demanding dowry in connection with a proposed marriage. He appealed, arguing that a demand made during pre‑marriage negotiations does not fall within the statutory definition of "dowry" and that the prosecution’s evidenc…

The appellant-wife alleged that her husband and in‑laws subjected her to dowry‑related cruelty and forced her to leave the matrimonial home in Ranchi and return to her parental home in Gaya. She filed an FIR in Gaya under IPC sections 498A, 406 r/w 34 and Dowry Prohibition Act sections 3 and 4. The High Court quashed t…

The husband (appellant) was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for dowry death (IPC s.304B), cruelty (IPC s.498A) and offences under the Dowry Prohibition Act after his wife committed suicide, allegedly due to his demand for a further Rs 10,000. The Supreme Court held that the Rs 10,000 demand was for repayment of a…

The appellants, a husband and his in‑laws, sought to quash a FIR and charge‑sheet filed after the husband filed a divorce suit, alleging that the FIR was a retaliatory, vexatious measure. The FIR originally alleged rape under Section 376 IPC, but the charge‑sheet omitted that offence and no protest petition was filed a…

The Supreme Court examined the death of Prema Devi, who died within five months of marriage with extensive burn injuries and traces of poison. The prosecution alleged that she was subjected to cruelty and harassment by her husband Bhim Singh and his brothers in connection with dowry demands, invoking Sections 304‑B of …

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed the High Court's judgment that set aside the convictions of Jogendra (husband) and Badri Prasad (father‑in‑law) under Sections 304‑B and 498‑A of the IPC for the death of their wife/ daughter‑in‑law Geeta Bai, who immolated herself while five months pregnant. The trial court had con…

The marriage between appellant No.1 and respondent No.2 deteriorated, leading the wife to file an FIR under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Act alleging cruelty and dowry demands, while also implicating the husband’s parents and sisters-in-law. The appellants contended that the FIR was a retaliatory …

The husband and wife married in 1996; the husband filed for divorce in 1997 and the wife filed a criminal case alleging cruelty under Sections 498‑A, 406, 506 IPC and Sections 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The trial magistrate acquitted all accused in 2002. While the parties later settled their differences and obta…

The appellant, M. Srinivasulu, was convicted under Sections 304B (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) of the IPC for the self‑immolation death of his wife. The prosecution relied on three letters written by the deceased, alleging they demonstrated a dowry demand and cruelty. The Supreme Court examined whether the letters a…

The appellants, accused of dowry death and related offences under Sections 498A, 304B (IPC) and Sections 3 and 4 (Dowry Prohibition Act), obtained anticipatory bail from an Additional Sessions Judge under Section 438 of the CrPC after the court considered two dying declarations that made no allegation against them. The…

The appellant Gurnaib Singh was convicted for the death of his young wife Amarjeet Kaur, who allegedly committed suicide after being harassed for a dowry demand of Rs 50,000. The trial court and the Punjab High Court upheld a conviction under Section 3048 IPC (dowry death) and sentenced him to seven years' rigorous imp…

The appellant, Vijay Mohan Singh, was accused of pouring kerosene on his wife, causing fatal burns, and was charged under Sections 302 r/w 34, 498A, 304B r/w 34 of the IPC and Sections 3, 4, 6 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The trial court acquitted him, discarding the victim's dying declaration and other material evide…

The deceased Geetha was allegedly set on fire by her mother‑in‑law, leading to her death. The trial court acquitted both the husband (appellant No.1) and the mother‑in‑law (appellant No.2) for offences under Sections 498A, 302, 504 r/w 34 IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The High Court reversed th…

The appellants were charged under Section 493 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for allegedly demanding dowry and for deceitful cohabitation. The complainant filed an FIR after a purported compromise between the parties, and the High Court dismissed the appellants' petition under Section 482 …

The appellant was married to Kavitha, who committed suicide within four months of their marriage, allegedly due to dowry harassment and the husband's illicit relationship with another woman. The prosecution presented documentary evidence of a Panchayat agreement in which the husband admitted cohabiting with the other w…

The appellant, Vishnu Kumar Tiwari, challenged the High Court's order that set aside the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s acceptance of a police final report (s.173 CrPC) exonerating the accused of dowry‑related offences. The complainant had filed a protest petition against the final report, which the High Court held was no…

The husband, Swapnil, filed an application for restitution of conjugal rights, but his wife left the matrimonial home in April 2011 and later lodged two police complaints alleging dowry demands and threats to kill. A First Class Judicial Magistrate framed charges under IPC sections 498A and 506 Part II and under Sectio…

The complainant, married to Dr. Rishi Raj, filed an FIR in March 2022 alleging torture, dowry demands and an attempt to strangle her, implicating her husband, his parents (the appellants) and his sister‑in‑law. The parents‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law sought quashing of the criminal proceedings under Section 482 CrPC; the …

The deceased woman, Sherifa, married in 1989, allegedly faced mental and physical harassment from her husband for not receiving the full dowry of Rs.35,000. On 29 August 1991 she jumped into an uncovered well, resulting in her death, which the prosecution claimed was a suicide linked to dowry harassment. The trial cour…

The appellant, brother‑in‑law of a deceased woman alleged to have died in a dowry case, filed an anticipatory bail application fearing arrest under the Dowry Prohibition Act. The High Court granted anticipatory bail but limited its effect only until the filing of the charge‑sheet, after which the protection ceased and …

Pawan Kumar (husband) and his parents-in‑law were convicted for the death of his wife, Urmil, who died from severe burns within seven years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the husband and his relatives repeatedly demanded a scooter and refrigerator as dowry, subjected the wife to mental cruelty and harassment…

The appellant, Sher Singh, was convicted under Sections 3048 and 498A IPC for the alleged dowry‑related suicide of his wife, Harjinder Kaur, who had reportedly complained of dowry harassment two months before her death. The prosecution alleged that the husband and his family demanded a motorcycle and a fridge, leading …

Harjit Singh was convicted by the trial court under Section 304‑B IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife, Jasbir Kaur, and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of a dowry death – that the deceased was sub…

The appellant, brother of the daughter‑in‑law who had filed a dowry harassment case under Sections 498A, 406 IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act against her father‑in‑law, was accused by the father‑in‑law of stealing two gold bangles during a police raid on the matrimonial home. A complaint was filed, the magistrate took…

The State of Maharashtra appealed the acquittal of six accused under Sections 498‑A, 304‑B and 306 of the IPC. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had established the essential ingredients of a dowry death and the presumption under Section 113‑B of the Evidence Act. It held that the prosecution proved, b…

Ashok Kumar was convicted under Section 304‑8 IPC for the death of his wife, who died from burn injuries allegedly after being harassed for a dowry demand of Rs.5,000. The appellant argued that the alleged demand did not constitute "dowry" within the meaning of Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act and that the phrase…

Fazlunbi, a Muslim woman, was deserted by her husband K. Khader Vali who obtained a divorce and paid a meager mahar of Rs.500 and iddat maintenance of Rs.750, after which the magistrate cancelled the earlier maintenance order under Section 125 CrPC. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether such payment satisfied …

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by Bachni Devi and her son, convicted under Section 304B of the IPC for the dowry death of the son’s wife, Kanta, who died by hanging within three months of marriage. The prosecution proved that Kanta’s death was unnatural, occurred within seven years of marriage, and that she was s…

Chanda, a newly married woman, died from severe burns after a fire broke out in her in-laws' house; neighbours rescued her but she later succumbed to her injuries. Her parents alleged dowry harassment and filed a police report; the investigation led to a charge sheet under s.306 IPC read with s.34 against her brother D…

The appellant, the brother‑in‑law of the deceased woman, was convicted under Sections 306 and 498‑A of the IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for abetment of suicide, while being acquitted of the dowry‑death charge under Section 304B. The deceased had set herself on fire after alleged harassment and dowry d…

Reema Aggarwal married Anupam while his first wife was alive and was subsequently harassed for dowry by Anupam, his parents and brother, who forced her to ingest poison. She reported the incident and the accused were charged under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 498A (dowry harassment). The trial court acquitt…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of Maya Devi and others convicted under Sections 3048 and 498A of the IPC for the death of their daughter-in‑law, Kavita. The Court reiterated that to establish a dowry death, the prosecution must prove (i) death within seven years of marriage, (ii) death caused by burns, bodily in…

Mahesh Kumar was convicted under Section 304-B IPC for the death of his wife, Omwati, alleged to be a dowry death. The prosecution's case relied mainly on statements of the deceased's father and brother, and on several letters written by the deceased, asserting continuous harassment and dowry demands. The Supreme Court…

The appellant, Ramaiah, was charged with dowry‑related offences (IPC 498‑A, 304‑B, 201, 176) and violations of the Dowry Prohibition Act (ss.3,4) after his wife Laxmi died an unnatural death within six months of marriage. The trial court acquitted him, finding no evidence of dowry demand, harassment, or that the presum…

The informant filed a complaint alleging offences under Sections 498A, 323 and 504 IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The magistrate took cognizance of those offences only and issued summons. The informant later applied that the material in the case diary also justified adding Sections 406 and 307 I…

Monu appealed to the Supreme Court after the Allahabad High Court Single Judge dismissed his Section 482 application seeking quashal of a charge‑sheet filed under IPC sections 420, 498A, 323, 376, 506 and Dowry Prohibition Act sections 3 and 4. The High Court dismissed the petition with a terse order stating there was …

The deceased daughter‑in‑law was burnt to death within four years of her marriage. The prosecution alleged that the mother‑in‑law, husband and uncle repeatedly harassed and tortured her for not providing sufficient dowry. A post‑mortem showed ante‑mortem burns and fractured skull bones, indicating she was killed before…

The State of Karnataka prosecuted M.V. Manjunathegowda (A‑1) and others for the murder of his wife Kamalamma, alleging that she was killed within seven years of marriage after the accused demanded a dowry of Rs 10,000 and three sovereigns of gold, of which only Rs 8,000 was paid. The trial court convicted A‑1 under Sec…

The appellant, Muskan, married Ishaan Khan in 2020 and later alleged dowry harassment by her husband and his family, filing complaints in early 2023 and an FIR in January 2024 under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 Dowry Prohibition Act. The respondents filed a petition under Section 482 of the Cr.PC seeking quash…

MD Shakeel was convicted under IPC sections 304‑B and 498‑A and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for the alleged dowry‑related death of his wife. The conviction was affirmed by the trial court and the first appellate court, while the co‑accused were acquitted. Shakeel filed a revision petition in the Andhra Prade…

The appellant Balvir Singh was convicted of murder under s.302 IPC and dowry harassment under s.498A IPC, while his mother‑in‑law Maheshwari Devi was convicted of s.498A IPC read with s.34 IPC. The prosecution proved that the victim died from aluminium phosphide poisoning, a fumigant not explainable by her heart medica…

The case concerned a two‑year‑seven‑month‑old girl whose mother died in an unnatural death. The child had been in the care of her maternal aunts and grandparents since she was 11 months old. The father, who had been arrested and later released on bail, filed a habeas‑corpus petition before the Madhya Pradesh High Court…

The marriage between Roopa Soni and Kamalnarayan Soni, solemnised in 2002, broke down after the birth of their child, leading to a separation that has lasted for over fifteen years. Both parties filed serious allegations against each other, including a complaint under Section 498A IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act, and…

Sunita, a married woman, committed suicide within three years of her marriage by self‑immolation after a quarrel with her mother‑in‑law over a dowry demand for a gold chain. A dying declaration recorded by an Executive Magistrate, certified by a doctor, alleged that the mother‑in‑law repeatedly harassed her for the dow…

The appellant, Suresh Kumar Singh, was convicted under IPC Sections 3048 (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) for the death of his wife Asha Devi, who died from burns on 8 December 1993. The marriage date was disputed (1983 or 1987), and the prosecution alleged dowry demands and a prior attempt to burn the victim a year ea…

Bhagwant Singh, a senior Indian Revenue Service officer, filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution alleging that his daughter Gurinder Kaur was murdered in a dowry‑related dispute and that the Delhi police investigation was irregular, delayed and failed to collect crucial evidence. The Supreme Court ex…

The case arose from a complaint by Samira Khanum alleging dowry harassment, cruelty and breach of trust under Sections 498‑A and 406 IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The trial magistrate ordered summons against the husband and his parents, which the husband challenged by filing an application unde…

Jasprit Kaur, married to Jagjit Singh, died within 1 year 3 months of marriage, her body found hanging from a ceiling fan. The prosecution alleged that Jagjit and his parents subjected her to cruelty and demanded Rs 1 lakh for a house purchase, constituting dowry demand, leading to her death. The trial court acquitted …

The complainant alleged dowry demands, mental and physical harassment by her husband and in‑laws, and implicated the appellant Geddam Jhansi (her mother‑in‑law’s sister) and her son Geddam Sathyakama Jabali as pressurising her to obey her husband’s wishes. The High Court declined to quash criminal proceedings under Sec…

The case involved the suicide of Hina, a daughter‑in‑law, who allegedly faced mental and physical harassment and dowry demands from her mother‑in‑law, Kanchanben. The trial court convicted Kanchanben under IPC sections 3048 (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) and under sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, senten…

The appellants, Priya Vrat Singh and others, sought to quash criminal proceedings filed under Sections 494, 120B and 109 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for alleged dowry harassment and bigamy. The High Court had dismissed their Section 482 CrPC application, but the Supreme Court examined w…

The husband (appellant) was convicted under Section 498‑A of the IPC for the death of his wife by burn injuries, the prosecution alleging a dowry demand. The trial court also convicted the mother‑in‑law and brother‑in‑law under the same provision and the Dowry Prohibition Act, but the High Court acquitted the mother‑in…

The appellant filed a criminal appeal against the grant of bail to his brother-in-law, the first respondent, who was charged under Sections 498-A and 304-B of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for the unnatural death of his sister within a year of marriage. The Sessions Judge had denied bail, bu…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Porkodi, who was manually strangulated in her in-laws' house, and the related dowry death allegations. The trial court had acquitted Balasubramaniam (A-2) for lack of evidence of his participation, while convicting Rajammal (A-1) and Murugesan (A-3) for murder and dowry offences…

The case concerned the death of Asha G, alleged to have resulted from throttling by her husband’s relatives in connection with a dowry demand. The trial court acquitted the accused, holding that the deceased suffered from epilepsy and her death could have been caused by an epileptic fit. The Allahabad High Court set as…

The husband and his in‑laws were initially acquitted after a compromise before a Lok Adalat, but the complainant‑wife later withdrew her consent and the trial court re‑opened the case by issuing a docket order on 20 July 2021, charging them under sections 420, 498A, 506 IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition…

The case arose from an FIR filed by Sonia Gupta under IPC §§498A, 506 and the Dowry Prohibition Act §§3,4, alleging harassment by her parents‑in‑law and other relatives. Four police investigations produced three closure reports, after which a fourth investigating officer filed a charge‑sheet despite a stay order, and t…

The appellant Siddaramesh was convicted for the death of his wife Usha, who committed suicide by hanging within seven years of marriage. The prosecution proved that the husband and his family had repeatedly demanded dowry—gold, cash and a motorcycle—and that the wife was subjected to mental and physical cruelty when sh…

Appasaheb and his mother-in-law were convicted under IPC Section 304‑B (dowry death) for the suicide of their wife, Bhimabai, who allegedly took poison after being harassed for dowry. The prosecution alleged that the accused demanded money for domestic expenses and for purchasing manure, which the wife could not provid…

Baldev Singh was convicted under Section 304‑B IPC for the death of his wife Satwant Kaur, who died by poisoning within two years of marriage. The prosecution proved that she was repeatedly harassed for dowry, including demands for a fridge, TV and a cash amount, in addition to a claim on her share of ancestral propert…

The appellant, Ghanshyam Soni, was accused under sections 498A, 34 and 406 IPC for alleged cruelty and dowry demands by his wife, a police officer, with incidents said to have occurred in 1999. The complainant filed a complaint on 3 July 2002, leading to an FIR on 19 December 2002 and a charge‑sheet in 2004, after whic…

The petition arose from a criminal trial under which the petitioner sought, under Section 311 of the CrPC, the summons of two individuals, Vinay Kumar Pathak and Kanak Lata Singh, as independent witnesses. The trial court partially granted the application, summoning only Pathak and later closed the opportunity to exami…

Omveer Singh appealed to the Supreme Court after a Single Judge of the Allahabad High Court dismissed his application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking to quash a criminal complaint (Sections 498A, 323, 376 IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act). The High Court judge relied sol…

The appellants, Dr. Jagdish Prasad and others, filed a criminal complaint under IPC sections 498A and 323 and the Dowry Prohibition Act. They sought to quash the complaint and the proceedings by invoking Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Single Judge of the Allahabad High Court dismissed their applicat…

The appellants filed an application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking to quash a charge sheet and criminal proceedings arising under IPC sections 498A, 304B and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The Single Judge of the Allahabad High Court dismissed the application without setting out the factual mat…

Harjit Kaur, a married woman, died on 6 April 1990 after alleged dowry harassment by her husband and father‑in‑law (the appellant). The prosecution charged both accused under IPC sections 498A (cruelty) and 3048 (dowry death). While the Sessions Court convicted them under both sections and the High Court reduced the 30…

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted Santosh Kumar and others for the murder of Sunita, alleging dowry harassment. The trial court convicted Santosh Kumar under sections 302, 498‑A IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, acquitting him of section 304‑B IPC. The Allahabad High Court set aside the convict…

The Supreme Court examined the death of Raj Banshi Devi, who died from burn injuries in her matrimonial house within two years of marriage. The prosecution alleged dowry demands, physical and mental cruelty, and that the deceased was assaulted, tied with iron wire and set alight, invoking Section 3048 of the IPC. Altho…

The appellant, Anil Kumar, was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for dowry harassment (Sec. 498-A IPC) and dowry death (Sec. 304-B IPC) based on the suicide of his wife, Meena Kumari, in their matrimonial home. The trial court had acquitted all accused, finding contradictions in witness statements and noting that t…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of Satish Shetty, convicted under IPC sections 498A (cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) for the death of his wife, who had left a ten‑month‑old son and was twenty weeks pregnant. The High Court had set aside the trial court’s acquittal, invoking the presumption under Evidence A…

Renu Kumari, the wife of Respondent No.3, filed a complaint under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 & 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act alleging dowry harassment. The police registered an FIR and a charge‑sheet was filed. The respondents sought discharge under Section 239 CrPC, which was rejected, and their revision was dis…

The appellant, married to the first respondent, alleged dowry harassment and a FIR was lodged under sections 498A, 323, 504, 506 IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The respondents filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking quash of the FIR and a stay of arrest. The Allahabad High Court refused …

The appellant, a husband, was charged with cruelty, dowry harassment and abetment of suicide after his wife, Girija, died by consuming poison in their matrimonial home within seven years of marriage. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the Karnataka High Court convicted the husband under Sections 498A and 306, r…

Rousanara Begum married S.K. Salahuddin in 2005 and divorced him in 2011. At the time of marriage her father gave Rs 7 lakh and 30 bhori of gold, which the appellant sought to recover under Section 3 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. Lower courts awarded partial amounts, but the Calcutta …

The appellant, Bhushan Kumar Meen, was married to the respondent No.2 in 2004. After periods of discord, the wife filed a complaint in 2006 alleging dowry demand and cruelty, leading to an FIR under Sections 406 and 498‑A IPC. The Women's Cell’s inquiry found no evidence of dowry demand and deemed the dispute civil, bu…

The appellant, Sudeep Chatterjee, was accused under Section 498A IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act by his wife. The High Court of Patna granted him provisional pre‑arrest bail on the condition that he file a joint affidavit within four weeks undertaking to fulfil all physical and financial needs of his wif…

The appellant Vikas, his parents and sisters were charged with dowry harassment, torture and murder of Vikas's wife Neeta. The prosecution alleged that Neeta was taken from a relative's house on a motorbike, later found dead in a river, and that ornaments worn by her were recovered from Vikas's almirah. The trial court…

Arnesh Kumar, husband of Sweta Kiran, was charged under IPC s.498-A and the Dowry Prohibition Act s.4. He sought anticipatory bail, which was denied by the trial court and the High Court, prompting a petition before the Supreme Court. The Court examined the statutory framework governing police arrests without a warrant…