Dowry death -dowry dowry dowry Dowry death -dowry dowry dowry Dowry death -dowry dowry dowry, Assignments of Law

Download Dowry death -dowry dowry dowry Dowry death -dowry dowry dowry Dowry death -dowry dowry dowry and more Assignments Law in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Presumption as to Dowry Death By - Divyansh Hanu The term "dowry death" and "dowry murder" first began to be used around 1977-78 when investigations revealed that deaths of married women, which for years had been camouflaged by the police as accidents or suicides, were actually murders or abetted suicides, preceded by prolonged physical and mental torture by the husband and in-laws in connection with dowry demand. Instead of describing them as "wife murders" or "abetted suicides" the women's organizations began calling them "dowry deaths". Section 113B, Indian Evidence Act,1872 and the Section 304B , Indian Penal Code has been added by the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act No.43 of 1986 which was with effect from 19th November 1986. This was done in order to solve the increasing problem of dowry death. The word dowry death has been defined in 304B Indian Penal Code and the term dowry has been defined in Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961. The Section 113B, Indian Evidence Act,1872 deals with the dowry death. Section 113B states that: “Presumption as to dowry death. -When the question is whether a person has committed the dowry death of a woman and it is shown that soon before her death such woman has been subjected by such person to cruelty or harassment for, or in connection with, any demand for dowry; the court shall presume that such person had caused the dowry death”. Explanation- For the purposes of this Section 'dowry death' shall have the same meaning as in Section 304-B, Indian Penal Code,1860 Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code states that “Dowry death - (1) where the death of a woman is caused by any burns or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under normal circumstances within seven years of her marriage and it is shown that soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband for, or in connection with, LatestLaws.com 2 any demand for dowry, such death shall be called "dowry death", and such husband or relative shall be deemed to have caused her death. Explanation. - For the purpose of this sub-Section, "dowry" shall have the same meaning as in Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (28 of 1961). (2)Whoever commits dowry death shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to imprisonment for life”. The definition of dowry as stated in Section 2, Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 is- “Dowry means any property or valuable security given or agreed to be given either directly or indirectly- (a) by one party to a marriage to the other party to the marriage; or (b) by parents of either party to a marriage or by any other to either party to the marriage or to any person; at or before or any time after the marriage in connection with the marriage of the said parties, but does not include dower or mahr in the case of person to whom the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) applies. Explanation. I. Omitted. Explanation. II. The expression 'valuable security' has the same meaning as in s 30 of Indian Penal Code 1860 (45 of 1860).” In the case of Keshab Chandra Pandey v. State 1 , the Court held that presumption under Sec 113B of the Indian Evidence Act shall be raised only on the proof of the following essentials: “(i) Whether the accused has committed the dowry death of a woman. So the presumption can be raised if the accused is being tried for an offence under s 304B, Indian Penal Code. (ii) The woman was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or his relatives. (iii) Such cruelty or harassment was for or in connection with the any demand for dowry. (iv) Such cruelty or harassment was soon before her death”. 1 (1995) Cri LJ. 174 (Ori) LatestLaws.com 5 When her husband came to take her back she was reluctant but her sister brought her down and sent her with her husband. She went with the husband but with the last painful words that' it would be difficult now to see her face in the future'. On the very next day, she committed suicide. While examining the constituents of dowry death Supreme Court held that: “(a) when the death of a woman is caused by any burns or bodily injury; or (b) occurs otherwise than under normal circumstances; (c) and the aforesaid two facts spring within seven years of girl's marriage; (d) and soon before her death, she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or his relative. If these conditions exist, it would constitute a dowry death; and the husband and/or his relatives shall be deemed to have caused her death. In the present case, it is not in dispute that the deceased Urmil died of burn injuries, that she died otherwise than under normal circumstances, and that the death was within a period of 7 years of marriage. The only consideration has to be: whether she was subjected to any cruelty or harassment by the appellants soon before her death, and whether the same was for or in connection with any demand of dowry.” In one of its recent judgments, in Baijnath & Others v. State of Madhya Pradesh 6 , Supreme Court expounded that, “One of the essential ingredients of dowry death under Section 304B of the Penal Code is that the accused must have subjected the woman to cruelty in connection with demand for dowry soon before her death and that this ingredient has to be proved by the prosecution beyond reasonable doubt and only then the court will presume that the accused has committed the offence of dowry death under Section 113B of the Indian Evidence Act”. 6 (2017) 1 SCC 101 LatestLaws.com 6 Conclusion The legislative intent is clear to curb the menace of dowry deaths, etc. with a firm hand. It must be remembered that since crimes are generally committed in privacy of residential houses and in secrecy, independent and direct evidence is not easy to get. That is why the legislature has by introducing Section 113-B in the Evidence Act tried to strengthen the prosecution hands by permitting a presumption to be raised if certain foundation facts are established and the unfortunate event has taken place within seven years of marriage. This period of seven years is considered to be the turbulent one after which the legislature assumes that the couple would have settled down in life. When the question at issue is whether a person is guilty of dowry death of a woman and the evidence discloses that immediately before her death she was subjected by such person to cruelty and/or harassment for, or in connection with, any demand for dowry. Section 113-B, Evidence Act provides that the court shall presume that such person had caused the dowry death. 7 7 State of Punjab v. Iqbal Singh , AIR 1991 SC 1532 LatestLaws.com