E-Paper
Kerala dowry case: HC rejects plea to suspend husband’s sentence
An employee of the state motor vehicles department, the man was sentenced to 10-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹12.50 lakh by the additional district court in May this year
The Kerala high court on Tuesday rejected a petition filed by Kiran Kumar, who was convicted in dowry death case of his wife Vismaya Nair seeking an order to suspend his sentence and release him on bail.
An employee of the state motor vehicles department Kumar was sentenced to 10-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹12.50 lakh by the additional district court in Kollam (south Kerala) in May this year.
Later, he was terminated from the service by the government.
Also Read: Kerala dowry death: 24-year-old found dead, husband taken into police custody
Kumar had sought suspension of the verdict saying he was a victim of media trial and sentence was based on assumptions and conjectures.
Rejecting his plea, a division bench of justices Alexandar Thomas and Sophy Thomas observed that sentence cannot be suspended at his juncture.
“Criminal miscellaneous application is dismissed. It is made clear that observations and findings in the order are for limited purpose of this application and it will not any way affect contention to be taken up by applicant in appeals,” the court observed.
The death of the woman, a BAMS student, had triggered outrage in the state.
Kumar had married the woman on May 30, 2020.
According to police, she was found hanging in her husband’s house June 21, 2021.
The case was fast-tracked and Kumar was found guilty by the trial court on May 23, 2022.
Parents had alleged that their daughter was harassed over the car they gifted to her at the time of wedding.
Despite her parents gifting him gold, land, among others, the husband used to continuously harass her.
The woman’s parents had first pressed for murder charges against the husband. However, the post mortem revealed it was a case of suicide.
If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.
Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669;
Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918,
Roshni Foundation (Secunderabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000,
ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290
