In Brief
Shanti Devi died from ante mortem burn injuries caused by kerosene in December 1994, within seven years of her marriage in April 1988. Her father alleged that the appellants (his in-laws) and the husband had repeatedly demanded dowry, ill-treated her, and turned her out of the home on failure to meet those demands. The Supreme Court found all three statutory ingredients of dowry death proven: (1) death within seven years of marriage; (2) ante mortem burns causing death; and (3) preceding cruelty and dowry harassment. The Court upheld the High Court's conviction and seven-year sentence under Section 304B IPC, dismissing the appeal.
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