Husband, in-laws sent to jail in 2000 dowry death case in Delhi

Woman was burnt to death by the convicts

A court here has awarded jail term for three members of a family in a dowry death case.

The husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law of the deceased woman were sentenced to ten, seven and three years in jail respectively for burning her to death for dowry in Daryaganj in Central Delhi in 2000.

Police had registered a case against them on a statement by the victim’s mother, who alleged that the accused used to harass her daughter for dowry as her son-in-law was unemployed.

Rejecting their plea for lenient punishment, Additional Sessions Judge Poonam Chaudhry said, “As the woman had died within two years of her marriage due to burn injuries and kerosene oil was found on her scalp, I am of the view that the court can’t be lenient while granting the quantum of punishment. The punishment should serve as a deterrent to others.”

Yash Jain, husband of the deceased was sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 304B (dowry death) of the IPC. He was also given another three years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 498A (harassment for dowry).

While the mother-in-law of the deceased Veena Jain was sentenced to seven and three-year imprisonment under Section 304B and Section 498A respectively, Subhash Jain (father-in-law) was awarded 3-year imprisonment under Section 498A of the IPC.

The sentences will run concurrently, the judgment said. The Judge said “Evidence on record leads to the conclusion that charges under Section 498A/304B/34 are proved against the accused Veena Jain and Yash Jain as the deceased was subjected to cruelty and harassment for dowry. As the victim died within 2 years of her marriage and kerosene found on her scalp, the court ruled out the defence plea citing accidental fire.”