Life imprisonment for dowry deaths only in rare cases: Supreme Court
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, February 06, 2010
For dowry deaths Life imprisonment in rare cases: SC
The Apex court has taken a view that only in rare cases life imprisonment should be awarded to those convicted for causing the death of women in dowry-related cases.
Media reports say, the bench of Justice P Sathasivam and Justice HL Dattu passed the judgement while reducing the life sentence given to GV Siddaramesh to 10 years. GV Siddaramesh was convicted by a session court in Karnataka for causing death of his wife Usha.
Under Section 304-B (Dowry death) of Indian Penal Code the minimum punishment is seven years but the maximum punishment can go up to life imprisonment.
Supreme Court said since Siddaramesh was a young man, it would be appropriate if his sentence is commuted to 10 years in prison as against the life imprisonment.
Siddaramesh and Usha got married on December 13, 1997. However, within month of the marriage his wife Usha committed suicide by hanging herself January 17, 1998.
In the ensuing police enquiry it was established that she took this extreme step because of consistent mental torture by Siddharames who was demanding an additional sum of Rs. 50,000.
The Karnataka High Court had confirmed the sentence of life imprisonment given to him by the trial court.
