Madras high court upholds conviction of man and mother in dowry harassment case linked to suicide of wife and child

MADURAI: The Madras High Court confirmed the trial court order that convicted and sentenced a man and his mother in connection with the suicide of his wife and child over dowry harassment in Kanyakumari district.The court was hearing the appeal preferred by Anbarrasu, his father Asir David, and his mother Kasthuri, challenging the conviction and sentence imposed on them by the mahila court in Nagercoil in 2016.The prosecution's case is that Anbarrasu married Christilda Jane in 1994 in a church as per Christian rituals. A male child was born to them in 1995. Since Anbarrasu's brother married a woman from a wealthy family, he, along with his parents, ill-treated and harassed Jane, seeking more dowry.

She also made a complaint in this regard to the Nagercoil All Women Police in 1999. Since Anbarrasu and Jane gave an undertaking that they would live in a separate house, the complaint was closed.

Thereafter, the couple lived with their child in a rental house.Since Anbarrasu and his parents continued the harassment seeking dowry, Jane, along with her child, committed suicide by self-immolation in 2000. Based on the complaint of Jane's father, Vadasery Police registered a case against Anbarrasu, Asir David, and Kasthuri.

In 2016, the trial court convicted and sentenced Anbarrasu, Asir David, and Kasthuri to undergo 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Challenging the same, they preferred the present appeal.

During the pendency of the appeal, Asir David died, due to which the charges against him were abated.Justice K K Ramakrishnan observed that the evidence of the family members about the demand for dowry and the harassment meted out to the deceased in furtherance of the demand for dowry was cogent, clear, and without any infirmities.

Hence, the court had no reason to disbelieve their testimony. They were the best persons to speak about the harassment caused to the deceased.The judge observed that in the complaint lodged in 1999, the deceased narrated all the incidents and helplessly pleaded that her family was not in a position to meet the demand for dowry. Therefore, the prosecution showed circumstances and evidence to presume the continuous dowry demand, which drove the deceased to self-immolate herself along with her child. Hence, the judge confirmed the conviction and sentence imposed on Anbarrasu and Kasthuri and dismissed the appeal preferred by them.

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