Court charges man for domestic violence, dowry death

A Delhi court has charged a man with the offences of domestic violence and dowry death of his wife, who committed suicide a year after their marriage.
Referring to the term "torture soon before death" as stated under section 304B (dowry death) of the IPC, Additional Sessions Judge Dig Vinay Singh said, it is a relative term and there cannot be a defined time frame for it.
"If a female is constantly being taunted regarding dowry in her matrimonial house, such constant taunting, even if spread over a period of months or years can indeed amount to cruelty soon before death.

"What is important is that what effect those taunting had on the mind of deceased driving her to adopt the extreme step. The term 'soon before her death' cannot be measured in a time frame. Whether cruelty or harassment was soon before death is a circumstance based on various factors.
"For some people, a gap of one day alone may be enough for forgetting bad experiences, but for some few days or weeks may not be enough to forget and proceed further in life," the judge observed while putting the man on trial after he pleaded not guilty to the charges framed by the court under sections 304B and 498A (subjecting woman to cruelty) of the IPC.

"..There is prima facie sufficient material to frame charge under sections 304B and 498A (cruelty) of IPC against the accused(man)...Let charges be framed against him," the court said.
It, however, discharged the man's mother saying there was no prima facie evidence against her to prove the charges.