#dowry murder

The Karnataka High Court granted anticipatory bail to a sister-in-law accused in a dowry death case, holding that mere inclusion in the FIR without evidence of active participation, presence at the crime scene, or direct acts of cruelty is insufficient to deny bail. This reinforces that Section 482 BNSS protects individuals from arbitrary arrest when their involvement is passive and disconnected from the alleged violence, setting a critical precedent for non-perpetrator family members in dowry-related prosecutions.

Calcutta High Court affirms that cumulative circumstantial evidence, including post-mortem findings and failed alibi, suffices for conviction under Section 302 IPC in dowry death cases. The ruling underscores that direct eyewitnesses are not mandatory where circumstantial evidence forms an unbroken chain pointing to guilt. Co-accused acquitted due to absence of specific evidence linking them to the crime.

The Jharkhand High Court ruled that conviction under Sections 302/34 IPC requires concrete evidence of common intention, not just familial relationships. Acquitting co-accused in a dowry death case, the court emphasized that circumstantial evidence must independently establish shared culpability, reinforcing the burden of proof in criminal conspiracies.

Allahabad High Court acquits accused in dowry murder case, holding that contradictory eyewitness testimony and unproven motive invalidate conviction beyond reasonable doubt.