Holding

The conviction under Sections 304B and 498A cannot be sustained as the letters do not demonstrate any dowry demand, and the required proximate link between cruelty and death is absent.

Summary

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 actually showed any demand for dowry and interpreted the phrase "soon before her death" required a proximate link between cruelty and death. It held that the letters, when read in their entirety, contained no allegation of dowry demand, and the prosecution failed to prove the essential element of a dowry‑related cruelty. Consequently, the Court set aside the convictions, clarified that Sections 304B and 498A are distinct offences, and allowed the appeal, acquitting the appellant.

Issues considered

Whether the prosecution proved a dowry demand sufficient to invoke Section 304B IPC and the presumption under Section 113B of the Evidence Act.
How the term "soon before her death" should be interpreted for the purposes of Sections 304B IPC and 113B Evidence Act.
Whether Sections 304B IPC and 498A IPC are mutually inclusive or can be applied independently.
Whether the letters written by the deceased constitute evidence of a dowry demand.

Legislation cited

Subjects

dowry deathSection 304B IPCSection 498A IPC"soon before" interpretationpresumption under Evidence Actcrueltyappeal

Judgment

)
'

A M. SRINIVASULU
v.
STATE OF A.P.

SEPTEMBER lO, 2007

B (DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND D.K. JAIN, JJ.)

Penal Code, 1860-ss. 304B and 498A-Dowry death-Allegation of,
on basis of letters written by deceased - Husband convicted by Trial Court-
C Conviction upheld by High Court-On appeal, held: Reading of the letters
in -the entirety show that there was, in fact, no mention of any demand for
dowry-Courts below apparently picked up one line from one place and
another line from another place and concluded that there was demand of
dowry-Evidence of dowry demand being not substantiated, conviction set
aside-Evidence Act, 1872-s.113B - Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961-s.2.
D
Penal Code, 1860-ss.3048 and 498A-Held: The two provisions are
not mutually inclusive and deal with two distinct offences-Person charged .•-
and acquitted under s.304B can be convicted under s.498A without that
charge being there, if such a case is made out.

E Words and Phrases-"soon before her death"-Meaning of-In the
context of s.304B, !PC ands. 113B of the Evidence Act.

Appellant's wife set herself ablaze and died with 100% burn injuries
while undergoing treatment in hospital. According to the prosecution, she
committed the act due to persistent ill-treatment and cruelty meted out towards
F her by Appellant and his mother for more dowry. Trial Court convicted
Appellant and his mother under ss. 304B and 498-A of the IPC. High Court
upheld the conviction of Appellant but acquitted his mother.

In appeal before this Court, the con"viction of Appellant was challenged
on the ground that there was no evidence of any dowry demand. It was contended
G that the letters written by deceased, on which the prosecution placed reliance,
indicated that the dispute was not relating to demand of dowry but was on
account of normal marital discord.

Allowing the appeal, the Coun
H 842
(

M. SRINIVASULUv. STATEOF A.P. 843
HELD: 1. A conjoint reading of Section 113B of the Evidence Act and A
Section 304B IPC shows that there must be material to show that soon before
her death the victim was subjected to cruelty or harassment. Prosecution has
to rule out the possibility of a natural or accidental death so as to bring it
within the purview of the 'death occurring otherwise than in normal
circumstances'. The expression 'soon before' is very relevant where Section
113B of the Evidence Act and Section 304B IPC are pressed into service. B
Prosecution is obliged to show that soon before the occurrence there was
cruelty or harassment and only in that case presumption operates. Evidence
in that regard has to be led by prosecution. 'Soon before' is a relative term
and it would depend upon circumstances of each case and no strait-jacket
formula can be laid down as to what would co~stitute a period soon before the C
occurrence. It would be hazardous to. indicate any fixed period, and that brings
in the importance of a proximity test both for the proof of an offence of dowry
death as well as for raising a presumption under Section 113B of the Evidence
Act. The expression 'soon before her death' used in the substantive Section
304B IPC and Section 113B of the Evidence Act is present with the idea of
proximity test. No definite period has been indicated and the expression 'soon D
before' is not defined. A reference to expression 'soon after' used in Section
114 {illustration (a)) of the Evidence Act is relevant. It lays down that a Court
may presume that a man who is in the possession of goods soon after the
theft, is either the thief or has received the goods knowing them to be stolen,
unless he can account for his possession. The determination of the period
which can come within the term 'soon before' is left to be determined by the E
Courts, depending upon facts and circumstances of each case. Suffice,
however, to indicate that the expression 'soon before' would normally imply
that the interval should not be much between the concerned cruelty or
harassment and the death in question. There must be existence of a proximate
and live-link between the effect of cruelty based on dowry demand and the
concerned death. If alleged incident of cruelty is remote in time and has F
become stale enough not to disturb mental equilibrium of the woman
concerned, it would be of no consequence.
[Para IO] (849-D, E, F, G, H; 850-A, BJ

2. Sections 304B and 498A, IPC cannot be held to be mutually inclusive.
These provisions deal with two distinct offences. It is true that cruelty is a G
common essential to both the Sections and that has to be proved. The
Explanation to Section 498A gives the meaning of 'cruelty'. In Section 304B
there is no such explanation about the meanin~ of 'cruelty'. But having regard
to common background to these offences it has to be taken that the meaning
of 'cruelty' or 'harassment' is the same as prescribed in the Explanation to
H
)
<

844 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 9 S.C.R

A Section 498A under which 'cruelty' by itself amounts to an offence. Under
Section 3048 it is 'dowry death' that is punishable and such death should
have occurred within seven years of marriage. No such period is mentioned
in Section 498A. A person charged and acquitted under Section 3048 can
be convicted under Section 498A without that charge being there, if such a
case is made out. If the case is established, there can be a conviction under
B both the sections. (Para 121 (850-G, H; 851-A, BJ

Akula Ravinder and Ors. v. The State of Andhra Pradesh, AIR (19911
SC 1142, relied on.

3.1. The prosecution version primarily rests on three documents i.e.
C exhibits 2, 3 and 4 dated 3.1.1990, 20.6.1991 and 25.IG.1990 respectively. A
careful reading of these documents which were letters by the deceased show
there was in fact no allegations of any demand of dowry made by the accused.
Exhibit 3 i.e. the letter dated 20.6.1991 is very significant. Grievance in the
said letter was not to any demand of dowry. In fact the deceased had clearly
D written that she was forced to marry with the accused against her wish and
that created a lot of problems for her. The underlying essence of the letter is
that the deceased was not willing to get married and wanted to continue her
studies and she was married against her wish. There is one significant
statement in the letter, which is to the effect that the deceased did not want to
go to her parental home for Gangamma festival as her husband was taking
E due care of her. In exhibit 4 i.e. letter dated letter dated 25.10.1990 she has
clearly stated that she was all right and was happy in her in laws place and
her in laws were taking good care of her and she on the other hand stated
that somehow or other she does not want to live in the marital home. In Exhibit
2 i.e. letter dated 3.1.1990 also she had stated that she was happy. In fact she
p wrote to her father that be should take good care of her mother.
(Para 14) (851-H; 852-A, B, CJ

3.2. The State referred to a particular sentence in the letter which
speaks as to the effect that the Appellant's grandmother was scolding her,
however, it is to be noted that Appellant's grand mother is not an accused. It
G is also not indicated in the letter that she was scolding her for any dowry.
Reference to the grand mother being unhappy is relatable to the deceased's
long absence from the matrimonial honie. In fact there is no allegation of
any harassment due to dowry. What the trial court and the High Court appears >--
to have done is to pick up one line from one place and another from another
H place and conclude that there was demand of dowry. Reading of the letters in
I

M. SRINIVASULU v. STATEOF A.P. [PASAYA T,J.] 845

the entirety show that there was, in fact, no mention of any demand for dowry. A
Therefore the conviction in terms of Section 498A and Section 3048 cannot
·· be maintained. [Para 15) [852-D, E)

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 11 of2002.

From the Judgment and Order dated 2.7.2001 of the High Court of B
Judicature Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad in Crl. Appeal No. 532 of 1994.

C.S. Mohan Rao (for T.N. Rao) for the Appellant.

Debojit Borkakati (for D. Bharathi Reddy) for the Respondents.

The Judgment of the· Court was delivered by
c
DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. I. Challenge in this appeal is to the judgment
of a learned Single Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court upholding the
conviction of the appellant for offences punishable under Sections 304 B and
498 A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short the 'IPC'). Sentence of seven D
years was imposed on each count. By the impugned judgment conviction
. ,,
recorded in respect of co-accused Laxmi was set aside and she was directed
to be acquitted.

2. Background facts as projected by prosecution in a nutshell are as
follows: E
Padma @ Pitchamma (hereinafter referred to as the 'deceased') was
maITied to accused No.1-Srinivasulu on 21.5. I 989. At the time of marriage,
PW. I father of the deceased gave rupees I 0,000/- in cash, five to las of gold,
) other household articles worth Rs.3000/- and Rs.1200/- towards clothes to
accused No. I, who was employed as sub-staff of Karnataka Bank, F
Secunderabad. Accused No.2 is the mother of accused No. I and she used to
visit accused No. I in the city and did not allow the deceased to fulfil conjugal
obligations. At the instigation of accused No.2, accused No. I had demanded
Rs.5,000/- more from the parents of the deceased to purchase a Scooter as
additional dowry. PW. I, father of the deceased paid the said amount to G
accused No. I. In spite of the same, both the accused made repeated demands
for additional dowry upon the deceased. On one occasion, a sum of Rs. l ,000/
.../.
- and on another occasion a sum of Rs.2,000/- was paid by PW. I to the
accused. But the accused persons did not stop ill-treatment and harassment
towards the deceased. After some time, when the deceased and her parents
came to know that accused No.2 was thinking of a second marriage of H
846 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 9 S.C.R.

A accused No. I, immediately they went to the house of the .accused but accused
No. I refused to take the deceased into the house. Accused No.2 ill-treated
the deceased and both the accused asked, the deceased to go back to her:
parents' house. Accused No. I threatened to immolate the deceased and
accused No.2 threatened to poison the deceased and insisted that she continues
to stay in the house of her parents. Therefore, the deceased was taking
B shelter in the house of her parents and about 2 months prior to the incident,
on the assurance given by both the accused before the elders, the deceased
joined accused Nos. I and 2 to fulfil conjugal obligations. In spite of the same,
the accused continued ill-treatment and harassment for more dowry. Because
of the persistent ill-treatment and cruelty meted out by the accused towards
C the deceased, on 17.9.1992 at about 9.30 a.m. the deceased set herself ablaze
and died with 100% bum injuries in Gandhi Hospital while undergoing
treatment.

First information report was filed, investigation was undertaken and on
completion thereof charge sheet was filed. Accused persons pleaded
D innocence.

3. To establish its accusations prosec~tion examined 11 witnesses and
16 documents were exhibited. PWs. I and 2 were the father and mother of the
deceased respectively while PW3 was a relative. PW4 was a brother of the
deceased while PW5 was the sister of the deceased. PW 6 was a caste elder.
E PW 10 is the Doctor who conducted the autopsy while PW I I was the
investigating officer. On consideration of the evidence on record, learned II
Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Hyderabad convicted the appellant
for offence punishable under Section 3048 and sentenced him to undergo
imprisonment for ten years and to pay a fine of Rs. I 0,000/- with default
p stipulation. The acquitted co-accused A2 i.e. the mother of the appellant was
sentenced to undergo imprisonment for seven years. Though the accused
person was found guilty for offence punishable under Section 498A no
separate sentence was imposed. Questioning correctness of the trial court's
judgment, an appeal was preferred before the High Court by both the accused.
It was essentially the stand of the appellant before the High Court that there
G was no material to show any demand of dowry and therefore neither Section
498A nor Section 3048 had any application. It was pointed out that the
deceased stayed for only 12 days at the matrimonial home. Reference was
made to several letters which clearly establish that the deceased was unhappy
not because of any demand of dowry but because the appellant used to stay
H most of the times with the parents and the mother in law was taking objection
r
M.SRINNASULUv.STATEOFA.P.[PASAYAT,J.] 847

to her long absence from the marital home. The High Court did not find any A
substance in the stand of the appellant but found that there was no material
to show that the co-accused i.e. the mother in law was guilty of the charged
offences. Accordingly her conviction was set aside and she was acquitted.
However, in case of the appellant the conviction was maintained and the
sentence was reduced as afore-stated.
B
4. In support of the appeal, it was submitted that there is no evidence
of any dowry demand. On the contrary, the letters on which prosecution
placed reliance indicated that the dispute was not relating to demand of
dowry but was on account of normal marital discord.

5. Learned counsel for the respondent on the other hand supported the C
impugned judgment.

6. Section 3048 IPC deals with dowry death which reads as follows:

"304B. Dowry Death- (I) Where the death of a woman is caused by
any bums or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under normal' D
circumstances within seven years of her marriage and it is shown that
soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by
her husband or any relative of her husband for, or in connection with
any demand for dowry, such death shall be called "dowry death" and
such husband or relative shall be deemed to have caused her death. E

Explanation - For the purpose of this sub-section 'dowry' shall have
same meaning as in Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (28
of 1961).

(2) Whoever commits dowry death shall be punished with imprisonment F
for a tem1 which shall not be less than seven years but which may
extend to imprisonment for life."

7. The provision has application when death of a woman is caused by
any burns or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under normal
circumstances within seven years of her marriage and it is shown that soon G
before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband
or any relatives of her husband for, or in connection with any demand for.
-<. dowry. In order to attract application of Section 3048 IPC, the essential
ingredients are as follows:-
{~ The death of a woman should be caused by bums or bodily H
848 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 9 S.C.R.

A injury or otherwise than under a normal circumstance.
(ii) Such a death should have occurred within seven years of her
marriage.
(iii) She must have been subjected to cruelty or harassment by her
husband or any relative of her husband.
B
(iv) Such cruelty or harassment should be for or in connection with
_demand of dowry.
(v) Such cruelty or harassment is shown to have•been meted out to
the woman soon before her death.

C 8. Section I 13B of the Evidence Act is also relevant for the case at
hand. Both Section 3048 IPC and Section 1138 of the Evidence Act were
inserted as noted earlier by the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act 43 of
1986 with a view to combat the increasing menace of dowry deaths. Section
· 1138 reads as follows:-
D "J l 3B: Presumption as to dowry death- When the question is whether
a person has committed the dowry death of a woman and it is shown >-
that soon before her death such woman has been subjected by such
person to cruelty or harassment for, or in connection with, any demand
for dowry, the Court shall presume that such person had caused the
E dowry death.

Explanation - For the purposes of this section 'dowry death' shall
have the same meaning as in Section 304-B of the Indian Penal Code
(45of1860)."

F 9. The necessity for insertion of the two provisions has been amply
analysed by the Law Commission of India in its 21st Report dated 10th
August, 1988 on 'Dowry Deaths and Law Reform'. Keeping in view the
impediment in the pre-e~isting law in securing evidence to prove dowry
related deaths, legislature thought it wise to insert a provision relating to
presumption of dowry death on proof of certain essentials. It is in this
G background presumptive Section 1138 in the Evidence Act has been inserted.
As per the definition of 'dowry death' in Section 3048 IPC and the wording
in the presumptive Section 1138 of the Evidence Act, one of the essential
ingredients, amongst others, in both the provisions is that the concerned
woman must have been "soon before her death" subjected to cruelty or
H harassment "for or in connection with the demand of dowry". Presumption
M.SRINNASULUv.STATEOFA.P.[PASAYAT,J.] 849
under Section 1138 is a presumption of law. On proof of the essentials A
mentioned therein, it becomes obligatory on the Court to raise a presumption
that the accused caused the dowry death. The presumption shall be raised
only on proof of the following essentials:

(I) The question before the Court must be whether the accused
has committed the dowry death of a woman. (This means that B
the presumption can be raised only if the accused is being tried
for the offence under Section 3048 IPC).
(2) The woman was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her
husband or his relatives.
(3) Such cruelty or harassment was for, or in connection with C
any demand for dowry.
(4) Such cruelty or harassment was soon before her death.

IO. A conjoint reading of Section 1138 of the Evidence Act and Section
3048 IPC shows that there must be material to show that soon before her D
death the victim was subjected to cruelty or harassment. Prosecuti9n has to
rule out the possibility of a natural or accidental death so as to bring it within
the purview of the 'death occurring otherwise than in normal circumstances'.
The expression 'soon before' is very relevant where Section 1138 of the
Evidence Act and Section 3048 IPC are pressed into service. Prosecution is
obliged to show that soon before the occurrence there was cruelty or E
harassment and only in that case presumption operates. Evidence in that
regard has to be led by prosecution. 'Soon before' is a relative term and it
would depend upon circumstances of each case and no strait-jacket formula
can be laid down as to what would constitute a period soon before the
> occurrence. It would be hazardous to indicate any fixed period, and that p
brings in the importance of a proximity test both for the proof of an offence
of dowry death as well as for raising a presumption under Section 1138 of
the Evidence Act. The expression 'soon before her death' used in the
substantive Section 3048 IPC and Section 1138 of the Evidence Act is
present with the idea of proximity test. No definite period has been indicated
and the expression 'soon before' is not defined. A reference to expression G
" 'soon after' used in Section 114 (illustration (a)) of the Evidence Act is
relevant. It lays down that a Court may presume that a man who is in the
possession of goods soon after the theft, is either the thief or has received
the goods knowing them to be stolen, unless he can account for his
possession. The determination of the period.which can come within the tenn H
850 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 9 S.C.R.

A 'soon before' is left to be detennined by the Courts, depending upon facts and
circumstances of each case. Suffice, however, to indicate that the expression
'soon before'. would nonnally imply that the interval should not be much
between the concerned cruelty or harassment and the death in question.
There must be existence of a proximate and live-link between the effect of
cruelty based on dowry demand and the concerned death. If alleged incident
B of cruelty is remote in time and has become stale enough not to disturb mental
equilibrium of the woman concerned, it would be of no consequence.

11. Section 498A reads as follows:

~'498A: Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her
c to cruelty- Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband
of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with
imprisonment for a tenn which may extend to three years and shall
also be liable to fine.

Explanation - For the purpose of this section 'cruelty' means -
D
(a) any wilful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive
the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to
life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman; or

(b) harassment of th~ woman where such harassment is with a view
E to coercing her or any person related to her to meet any unlawful
demand for any property or valuable security or is on account .of
failure by her or any person related to her to meet such demand."

12. Consequences of cruelty which are likely to drive a woman to
commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health,
F whether mental or physical of the woman is required to be established in order
to bring home the application of Section 498A IPC. Cruelty has been defined
in the Explanation for the purpose of Section 498A. Substantive Section 498A
IPC and presumptive Section 1138 of the Evidence Act have been inserted
in the respective statutes by Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act, 1983.
G It is to be noted that Sections 3048 and 498A, IPC cannot be held to be
mutually inclusive. These provisions deal w.ith two distinct offences. It is true
that cruelty is a common essential to both the Sections and that has to be
proved. The Explanation to Section 498A gives the meaning of 'cruelty'. In
Section 3048 there is no such explanation about the meaning of'cruelty'. But
having regard to common background to these offences it has to be taken
H that the meaning of 'cruelty' or 'harassment' is the ·same as prescribed in the
M. SRINNASULU v. STATEOF A.P. [PASA YAT,J.] 851

Explanation to Section 498A under which 'cruelty' by itself amounts to an A
offence. Under Section 3048 it is 'dowry death' that is punishable and such
death should have occurred within seven years of marriage. No such period
is mentioned in Section 498A. A person charged and acquitted under Section
3048 can be convicted under Section 498A without that charge being there,
if such a case is made out. If the case is established, there can be a
conviction under both the sections. (See Akula Ravinder and Ors. v. The B
State ofAndhra Pradesh, AIR (1991) SC 1142). Section 498A IPC and Section
1138 of the Evidence Act include in their amplitude past events of cruelty.
Period of operation of Section 1138 of the Evidence Act is seven years,
presumption arises when a woman committed suicide within a period of seven
years from the date of marriage. C
13. Section 2 ofthe Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (in short 'Dowry Act')
defines "dowry" as under:-

Section 2. Definition of 'dowry' - In this Act, 'dowry' means any
property or valuable security given or agreed to be given eithe~ D
directly or indirectly -

(a) by one party to a marriage to the other party to the marriage;
or
(b) by the parents of either party to a marriage or by any other
person, to either party to the marriage or to any other person, E
at or before or any time after the marriage in connection with the
marriage of the said parties, but does not include dower or mehr in
the case of persons to whom the Muslim personal law (Shariat) applies.

Explanation I- For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that F
any presents made at the time of a marriage to either party to the
marriage in the form of cash, ornaments, clothes or other articles, shall
not be deemed to be dowry within the meaning of this section, unless
they are made as consideration for the marriage of the said parties.

Explanation JI- The expression 'valuable security' has the same G
meaning in Section 30 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860)."

14. The prosecution version primarily rests on three documents i.e.
exhibits '2., 3 and 4 dated 3.1.1990, 20.6.1991and25.10.1990 respectively. A
careful reading of these documents which were letters by the deceased show
there was in fact no allegations of any demand of dowry made by the H
\

852 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 9 S.C.R.

A accused. Exhibit 3 i.e. the letter dated 20.6.1991 is very significant. Grievance
in the said letter was not to any demand of dowry. In fact the deceased had
clearly written that she was forced to marry with the accused against her wish
and that created a Jot of problems for her. The underlying essence of the
letter is that the deceased was not willing to get married and wanted to
continue her studies and she was married against her wish. There is one
"B significant statement in the letter, which is to the effect that the deceased did
not want to go to her parental home for Gangamma festival as her husband
was taking due care of her. In exhibit 4 i.e. letter dated letter dated 25. J0.1990
she has clearly stated that she was all right and was happy in her in laws
place and her in laws were taking good care of her a~d she on the other hand
C stated that somehow or other she does not want to live in the marital home.
In Exhibit 2 i.e. Jetter dated 3.1.1990 also she had stated that she was happy.
In fact she wrote to her father that he should take good care of her mother.

15. Learned counsel for the State referred to a particular sentence which
speaks as to the effect that Rajamma was scolding her. It is to be noted that
D Rajamma was appellant's grand mother, she is not an accused. It is also not
indicated in the letter that she was scolding her for any dowry. It is to be
noted that the reference to the grand mother being unhappy is relatable to
the deceased's Jong absence from the matrimonial horrie. In fact there is no
allegation of any harassment due to dowry. What the trial court and the High
E Court appears to have done is to pick up one line from one place and another
from another place and conclude that there was demand of dowry. Reading
of the letters in the entirety show that there was, in fact, no mention of any
demand for dowry. Therefore the conviction in terms of Section 498A and
Section 30.4B cannot be maintained. The judgment of the High Court is
accordingly set aside and the appellant is acquitted of the charges. Bail bond
F executed for the release of appellant on bail pursuant to the order dated
8.1.2002 shall stand discharged.

!6. The appeal is allowed.·

B.B.B. Appeal allowed.