Allahabad HC Questions Dowry Allegations in Mass Marriage Scheme Case, Grants Bail to Man in ‘Dowry Death’ Accusation
Last Updated on August 7, 2024 by NewsDesk SLC
The Allahabad High Court has recently released a man accused of dowry death on the premise that it is improbable to receive dowry demands when marrying under the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme. This case underlines the fact that all dowry related issues are quite challenging and require legal scrutiny.
Justice Rajeev Misra, presiding over this case pointed out that because the marriage occurred under a government program, it was doubtful that any dowry was demanded. This observation contradicts orthodox paradigms regarding the dowry practices in India.
The case is the one involving a man who was arrested in June 2023 for allegedly murdering his wife under the pretext of dowry. The defense argued that the couple got married in June,2021 through mass marriage scheme organized by the state government thus eliminating any possibility of dowry demands. The defense also raised the issue of lack of prior allegations of dowry or cruelty and medical report indicating that the wife had no marks of violence on her body. Other accused persons charged in the same case had been released on bail. The scene suggested it was a suicide and many forensic investigations claimed that there was Aluminum phosphate in the body of the deceased. Some of the particular dowry demands were thought to be vague and thus could not have been supported with adequate evidence.
This aligns with current Supreme Court directions in Sumit Subhas Chandra Gangwal vs State of Maharashtra where courts have been discouraging detailed examination of evidence in the marriage cases under government sponsored mass wedding program. It calls for a different method in such circumstances where it may be less likely that the demands for dowry are as straightforward as assumed in common societal norms.
While the state opposed bail, mainly on the premise of the presumption of guilt of the Evidence Act, with death within two years of marriage, the court took a different view in the light of the peculiar facts of the case.
The judgment not only brought relief to the accused in the case but also opened up the larger debate regarding the interpretation of dowry laws in light of changing social initiatives. It cautions us that all perspectives of any case should be looked at, particularly where government schemes for the betterment of the community intersect with traditional legal assumptions.
Case Law: Satyendra vs. State Of Uttar Pradesh and Others.
Written By: Amit Kumar Patra
