Vismaya dowry death: SC suspends sentence of husband Kiran Kumar, grants bail
Kiran Kumar, husband of Vismaya, received a stay on his 10-year prison sentence from the Supreme Court in a dowry harassment case. The case, involving Vismaya's suicide, sparked outrage and highlighted dowry-related abuse.
Kiran Kumar, husband of Vismaya, received a stay on his 10-year prison sentence from the Supreme Court in a dowry harassment case. The case, involving Vismaya's suicide, sparked outrage and highlighted dowry-related abuse.
Kiran Kumar, husband of Vismaya, received a stay on his 10-year prison sentence from the Supreme Court in a dowry harassment case. The case, involving Vismaya's suicide, sparked outrage and highlighted dowry-related abuse.
The Supreme Court bench comprising Justice M M Sundresh and Justice K Vinod Chandran on Wednesday suspended the jail sentence and granted bail to Kiran Kumar, who was convicted of abetment to suicide and dowry death of his wife Vismaya V Nair. Kollam Additional Sessions Court found him guilty and sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment in 2022. Vismaya, 24, was found hanging in the bathroom Kiran Kumar's house at Sasthamkotta in Kollam district on June 21, 2021 after they got married on May 31, 2020.
Kiran was arrested later on a complaint by her parents and brother, alleging that he had tortured and harassed her over dowry. Kiran, the former Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector, was later dismissed from service. In December 2022, the Kerala High Court rejected Kiran's plea to revoke the jail sentence. He also moved an appeal against the order of the Additional Sessions court. The High Court had ruled that it was not a fit case warranting suspension of sentence, taking into account the nature of the accusation, the seriousness of the offence and its social impact.
Kiran then moved the Supreme Court seeking suspension of sentence. In his special leave petition filed by Advocate Deepak Prakash, it was cited that Kiran was a victim of media trial and the conviction was unfair and biased. "There was no evidence that he asked for dowry, and also there is a lack of evidence to show that there was an immediate trigger for suicide. Also, he has already spent close to 4 years in jail. The sentence has been suspended and he has been allowed bail," said Deepak Prakash.
The petition mentions a statement from Vismaya's father which shows that no dowry demand was made by Kiran Kumar. "Neither the accused nor his relatives asked me for dowry from the date of engagement till the date of marriage," the statement of Vismaya's father read. Kiran's counsel also told the court that Vismaya wanted to have a baby and was under the impression that she had conceived a child; however, just one day before the incident, her menstrual cycle began, which completely devastated her mental health and well-being.