In Brief
A woman married to the appellant died by consuming poison in 2008, within four years of marriage. Her father testified that her in-laws, including the appellant, had repeatedly demanded money and a car as dowry, and she had reported harassment. The Trial Court and High Court both convicted the appellant under Section 304-B IPC (dowry death), finding that though the direct cause was poisoning, the underlying dowry-related cruelty satisfied the statute's requirements. The appellant's claim of cordial relations was contradicted by evidence of forged hospital records. The Court held that the statutory presumption under Section 113-B, Evidence Act required the accused to rebut the prosecution's proof of dowry demands and harassment through credible evidence. Having failed to do so, the appellant's conviction was upheld and the appeal dismissed."
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