Husband found guilty in Kerala dowry death case

The husband, Kiran Kumar, was arrested on June 22, 2021, a day after Vismaya, a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student, was found dead at their residence.

Thiruvananthapuram: A court in Kerala’s Kollam on Monday held the husband of 23-year-old Ayurveda medical student Vismaya Nair guilty of harassing her for dowry and pushing her to die by suicide. The quantum of punishment will be announced on Tuesday.

(HT Photo)

The husband, Kiran Kumar, was arrested on June 22, 2021, a day after Vismaya, a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student, was found dead at their residence. He was the lone accused in the case while his parents were exonerated. The couple had got married on May 30, 2020 and Kumar used to work as an assistant motor vehicles inspector. He was dismissed from service after his arrest.

Kumar was later granted bail by the Supreme Court in March after spending eight months in jail.

During Monday’s hearing, he was convicted under three sections — 304 B (dowry death), 498 (A) (cruelty towards woman for dowry) and 306 (abetment to suicide) — of the Indian Penal Code. The court also cancelled his bail and sent him to jail.

Vismaya’s family said their daughter was harassed over the car they gifted her at the time of her wedding. They added Kumar told her he was entitled to a luxury car and the one gifted was only worth ₹10 lakh. He also complained frequently about the low mileage of the vehicle.

The family also said they gifted Vismaya over 100 sovereigns of gold, one-acre land, among other things but her husband wanted more.

“The guilty should be given maximum punishment. No other daughter should go through such a fate. We hope the verdict will give a strong message against social evil like dowry,” said Vismaya’s mother Sajitha.

Her father, Thrivikraman Nair, who was present in court, said he was satisfied with the verdict. “I wish it should be the last such case. Say a firm no to those who demand dowry,” he said while coming out of the court.

Public prosecutor G Mohanraj said they relied heavily on digital evidence to build up the case against Kumar. The main evidence was the phone call Vismaya made to her father a day before she was found dead in which she was heard crying and complaining about harassment meted out to her. She also sent some photos which carried marks of wounds and torture, Mohanraj added.

According to Mohanraj, the prosecution also pointed out that she was sent home several times by her husband and took her back in the hope of getting more.

Overall, the prosecution submitted 12 counts of digital evidence and heard 41 witnesses. The special investigation team led by IG Harshita Attaluri had submitted a 507-page charge sheet.

“It is not a verdict against a single individual but against a cruel system, dowry. We will ensure maximum punishment to the guilty,” said Mohanraj. He said of the five charges levelled against the husband, the court found him guilty of three.

The defence counsel said a media trial influenced the verdict and they will move the High Court against the judgment.

Before her death by suicide, the woman had also sent photos of injury marks and scars she allegedly suffered at the hands of her husband, said her parents.

The case had prompted widespread outrage in the state. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan was among those who visited the woman’s family. Many universities in the state made it mandatory for students to sign a declaration pledging they will not ask or give dowry after the case came to light. Khan first mooted the idea and later, the state government supported his suggestion.

“The government took strong action against the accused and dismissed him (the accused) from service even before the verdict. We have zero tolerance towards such evils. Government servants should be role models and they should not flaunt their job for dowry,” said state transport minister Antony Raju.