Man held guilty for refusing to cooperate in marriage ceremony after refusal of demand for 100 gold coins; Supreme Court verdict
Supreme Court: In the case, after the engagement ceremony in 2006, the groom and his family insisted that they would cooperate in the marriage ceremony only if they were given 100 gold coins.
The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a husband under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for not cooperating in the marriage ceremony after a demand for 100 gold coins as dowry by the bridegroom was refused. The marriage relationship lasted only three days. In this case, after the engagement ceremony in 2006, the groom and his family had insisted that they would cooperate in the marriage ceremony only if they were given 100 gold coins.
The appellant's family did not allow the bride's brother to perform the rituals on the wedding day. Though he attended the reception, the appellant's father took the groom away from the reception stage. Before the wedding reception ended, the appellant walked out of the reception stage and stood by the side. Despite the bride's relatives pleading with him, the appellant refused to come on the stage. At that time, the appellant told the relatives that he could speak only after 100 coins were presented to him. The photographer also testified that the appellant's family did not cooperate in taking wedding photographs.
In its judgment delivered on January 24, a bench of Justices KV Vishwanathan and SVN Bhatti said, "We are satisfied that the elements of Section 498-A of the IPC are fully proved. The appellant harassed the wife with the intent to compel her and her mother to meet his illegal demand for gold coins. When the wife and her relatives did not meet such demands, he continued to harass her. The elements of Section 498-A of the IPC and Section 4 of the DP Act are clearly proved."
