A top RBI official, arrested in a case of dowry death of his 26-year-old banker wife, has been granted bail by the Delhi High Court.
"Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case and without expressing any opinion on merits, I am inclined to grant the bail to petitioner (Nitin Kumar)...," Justice Manmohan Singh said.
The court asked Kumar to furnish a personal bond of Rs 20,000 with one surety of the like amount and also directed him to appear before the trial court when his matter would be listed for hearing.
"He shall surrender his passport before the trial court, if already not deposited, and shall not leave the country without the prior permission of the (trial) court," the bench said.
Kumar, Assistant General Manager in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), was arrested on October 2, 2014 on a complaint lodged by his wife's father who alleged that his daughter's in-laws and husband have killed her for bringing less dowry.
The victim, a manager with Punjab National Bank here, was found hanging from the fan at her matrimonial house in R K Puram on October 2, 2014.
According to Kumar's counsel, his client had a heated argument with his wife on the night of the incident following which she locked herself in her room.
When Kumar knocked the door several times, he did not get any response and on breaking the door, he found his wife hanging from the fan with her 'dupatta.' He informed his wife's parents who then called the police, Kumar's counsel said.
The advocate claimed that his client had never demanded dowry.
The couple had got married on February 26, 2012 and a boy was born to them in July 2013.
However, the deceased's parents alleged that she was being harassed by Kumar and was never allowed to visit them after marriage.
The counsel for the police said that one day prior to the incident, the victim had informed her parents about harassment meted out to her.
