Section 304B applies to unnatural deaths within seven years following dowry-related cruelty, regardless of homicidal or suicidal classification.

The appellant, Rajendra Chaudhary, was convicted under Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code by the 4th Additional District & Sessions Judge, Dumka, for the dowry death of Chandrika Devi and sentenced to nine years’ rigorous imprisonment by judgment dated 12 September 2005.

The deceased had married the appellant at Basukinath Temple in 1997 and died on 30 December 1999, approximately two years later, at or near her matrimonial home.

The prosecution alleged that the appellant and his father demanded a pump-set for irrigation and subjected the deceased to cruelty and assault when the demand was not fulfilled.

The deceased was found dead with foam or froth emanating from her mouth and nose; the prosecution suspected administration of poison.

The prosecution examined six witnesses, including the deceased’s relatives, the post-mortem doctor and the investigating officer.

The post-mortem examination disclosed no external injury and preserved viscera for chemical analysis, but no definite opinion regarding the cause of death was given; the viscera apparently was not sent for examination.

The High Court heard the appeal against the conviction and sentence.

The Court applied Section 304B IPC, under which a woman’s death constitutes “dowry death” where it occurs within seven years of marriage by burns, bodily injury or otherwise than under normal circumstances, and where she was subjected soon before death to cruelty or harassment by her husband or his relative in connection with a dowry demand; the statutory punishment is imprisonment of not less than seven years.

The Court identified four foundational requirements: abnormal or unnatural death, death within seven years of marriage, cruelty or harassment by the husband or his relative soon before death, and a nexus between that cruelty or harassment and a dowry demand.

Section 113B of the Indian Evidence Act requires the court to presume that the accused caused the dowry death once it is shown that the woman was subjected soon before her death to cruelty or harassment in connection with a dowry demand.

The Court also referred to Section 498A IPC’s definition of cruelty and Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, defining dowry.

It further held that Section 304B does not require the prosecution to classify the death specifically as homicidal, suicidal or accidental; an unnatural death may fall within the provision if the remaining statutory ingredients are proved.

The Court treated the deceased’s death by suspected poisoning, occurring at her matrimonial home and accompanied by froth from the mouth and nose, as death otherwise than under normal circumstances, notwithstanding that the post-mortem examination could not conclusively establish poisoning.

The marriage in 1997 and death in December 1999 established that the death occurred within seven years of marriage.

The consistent testimony of the deceased’s relatives—particularly P.Ws. 1, 2, 4 and 5—was accepted as proving that the appellant demanded a pump-set and subjected the deceased to assault, harassment and cruelty upon non-fulfilment of that demand.

The Court considered this evidence sufficient to establish the required proximity between the dowry-related cruelty and the death and consequently applied the statutory presumption under Section 113B.

The defence contentions concerning the absence of independent witnesses, the deceased’s alleged relationship with the appellant’s first wife and the alleged invalidity of the second marriage did not displace the prosecution evidence or the statutory presumption.

The conviction and sentence of nine years’ rigorous imprisonment were therefore affirmed, and the criminal appeal was dismissed.

The suspension of sentence was cancelled, and the appellant was directed to surrender before the trial court within two months to undergo the remaining sentence, failing which coercive steps could be taken for his arrest and detention.