The Farrukhabad District Court on Friday convicted Anil Kumar, the husband of deceased Madhu on charges of dowry death and sentenced him to imprisonment for ten years. District Judge Subhash Chand also fined him twenty thousand rupees with an additional punishment of three months for non-payment of fine even as three other accused were discharged due to lack of evidence.
The prosecution charged that after marriage, Madhu’s in-laws started demanding one lakh rupees, gold chain and buffalo in dowry and when the demands were not met started harassing Madhu. On June 29, 2014, they allegedly set her on fire by pouring kerosene. She was admitted to the Lohia Hospital where she succumbed to the severe burn injuries.
Madhu’s father Ramautar told police that Anil Kumar, his brother Vijay Kumar, his wife Vimala and the sister, Shalu were the culprits. After investigations, the police filed a charge sheet. The prosecution could not submit enough reliable evidence to incriminate anyone beyond the deceased’s husband. The other three accused family members were thus absolved from trial due to lack of evidence.
— India Legal Bureau