SC: Military Service No Excuse For Dowry Death, Refuses Convict's Exemption

NEW DELHI: Refusing to exempt a convict from surrendering in a dowry death case of his wife, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said participating in Operation Sindoor did not give him immunity from committing atrocity at home.

A two-judge bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice K. Vinod Chandran made the observation while hearing an appeal filed by Baljinder Singh against an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had dismissed his appeal.

In July 2004, a trial court in Amritsar convicted Baljinder Singh under Section 304-B (dowry death) of IPC for the death of his wife within two years of marriage.

Petitioner’s counsel submitted that the man was a participant of Operation Sindoor and that he had been a Black Cat commando for 20 years posted with the Rashtriya Rifles.

The bench then remarked: "That doesn't give you immunity from committing atrocity at home. This goes to show how physically fit you are, and the manner in which alone you could have killed your wife, strangulated your wife."

Observing that the petitioner was convicted for a serious offence, the top court said it wasn't a fit case to grant him exemption. It, however, issued notice in the matter and sought the reply of respondents in six weeks.

The police alleged the woman was subjected to harassment and cruelty in her matrimonial home for dowry.