Husband, in-laws discharged in dowry death case

A Delhi court has discharged a man and his parents of allegations of subjecting his wife to cruelty for dowry, holding there was no evidence to show she was harassed by her in-laws just before her death.
Additional sessions judge Pawan Kumar Jain, while passing order on the point of charge, absolved Delhi residents Mohan Lal and his parents of the allegations of subjecting the woman to cruelty (section 498A) and dowry death (section 304B) of the IPC.
"Prosecution has failed to produce sufficient evidence to show prima-facie that deceased (woman) was tortured soon before her death in connection with dowry demand," the judge said.

The court noted that soon after her marriage in 2001, she had lodged complaints against Mohan and his parents and then withdrew them in 2005 by mentioning before the Delhi High Court that she was living with her in-laws happily since 2004.
"There is not sufficient allegation in the complaint dated May 13, 2006 that there was any demand of dowry after March 24, 2005 when she had made the statement before the high court.
"... Moreover, if there would have been any demand or she was being tortured, she would not be living with her husband in her matrimonial house," the court noted.

According to the prosecution, the woman was thrown out of her matrimonial house for not bringing sufficient dowry after a year of marriage. But, later on she had again started living with her husband.
It further said that on May 13, 2006, the woman's father, who received a call from Mohan that his daughter had died, immediately lodged a complaint with police that she was starved to death by her husband and in-laws.
The woman was found lying unconscious on her bed and was taken to hospital by Mohan where she died.