In Brief
The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of an appellant under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, for harassing his bride through unlawful demands for gold sovereigns during their three-day marriage. The marriage had occurred in 2006, but the case remained pending for 19 years. While confirming the conviction was justified by overwhelming evidence, the Court reduced the sentence from two years to the period already undergone (approximately three months). The Court ordered the appellant to pay Rs. 3 lakh as compensation to the victim within four weeks. The appeal was partly allowed, recognizing both the severity of the crime and the mitigating circumstances of prolonged litigation and rehabilitation potential.
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