The Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to stay the 10-year sentence of a former assistant motor vehicle inspector who was convicted for abetment of suicide by dowry-related cruelty to his wife Vismaya.
A Division Bench of the High Court dismissed the plea filed by convict S Kiran Kumar, seeking a stay on the sentence awarded by the Sessions Court on May 24.
The Sessions Court in Kollam sentenced her to 10 years imprisonment for dowry death, six years and two years for the offenses of abetment to suicide and dowry harassment under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), six years and one year for the offense of taking dowry. was sentenced to one year on charges of demanding dowry under the Dowry Prohibition Act.
However, as the sentences were to be served concurrently, the convict would have to serve only the maximum jail term of 10 years.
The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 12.55 lakh on Kumar, out of which Rs two lakh should be given to the victim’s parents.
Kumar had moved the Kerala High Court on June 30, stating that he was convicted and punished because there was not enough evidence to prove his guilt.
Thereafter, he filed a petition in the court seeking a stay on the sentence pending the decision on the appeal.
The High Court today dismissed the petition
Kumar, an assistant motor vehicle inspector, was dismissed from service after his arrest in the case and state transport minister Antony Raju said there would be no change whether the court convicted him or not.
Vismaya (22), a medical student of Ayurveda, was found dead on June 21, 2021, at her husband’s house at Sasthamkotta in Kollam district.
A day before the incident, Vismaya had sent WhatsApp messages to her relatives about the alleged harassment by Kumar for dowry, as well as pictures of bruises and beating marks on her body.
His father had said that during the marriage in 2020, Kumar was given 100 tolas of gold (one tola is equal to 8 grams of gold) and over an acre of land, besides a car worth Rs 10 lakh as dowry.
But Kumar didn’t like the car and wanted Rs 10 lakh in cash.
As he was told it was not possible, he used to torture her, the father said.
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