Dowry death: 7-year jail for man, cops to take care of his ailing mother

New Delhi: A Delhi court has directed the police to ensure proper care and security to the 61-year-old ailing mother of a man, who has been sent to seven years in jail in a dowry death case in which his wife committed suicide within four months of marriage.

The court held that the man, a resident of Pitampura in Northwest Delhi, treated his wife cruelly and his persistent demand of money for his mother's treatment disturbed her.

It, however, acquitted his mother of the offences of causing harassment to the wife leading to her suicide.

Regarding the man's plea for leniency on he ground that he has to take care of his aged and paralytic mother, Additional Sessions Judge Manoj Jain directed the SHO of Rani Bagh Police Station to ensure that requisite security and care is provided to her.

"SHO would also be at liberty to contact any NGO or any official of old age home of Government of NCT of Delhi in case any such need arises so that the woman gets immediate care and attention of every kind," the court said.

While acquitting the aged woman, the court considered her medical condition and said the demand for money was made after she was hospitalised and, in such a situation, it could not be expected that she would torture her daughter-in-law or demand dowry.

While convicting the man, the court said the "suicide note and testimony of relatives of deceased also clinch the issue in favour of prosecution. Ingredients of demand of dowry just before her death and of mental harassment in the shape of warning of sending her back, also stand established."

The man and the victim had got married in February 2013, and it was a second marriage for both of them.

According to the prosecution, the victim used to complain to her relatives that her in-laws were pressurising her to bring Rs 2-3 lakh for treatment of her mother-in-law and she was disturbed.

On June 2, 2013, the woman hung herself at her matrimonial home in Delhi by hanging.

During the trial, the man had claimed that he never demanded dowry or money for his mother's treatment.