Kumar was sentenced to ten years in prison for offence of Section 304B. For 306 and 298A offences, he received six and two year sentences, respectively.
Kiran Kumar, the prisoner in his wife Vismaya’s dowry killing case, was sentenced to ten years in prison and a fine of Rs.12.5 lakh by a Kerala court on Tuesday.
Sujith KN, Additional District and Sessions Judge in Kollam, handed down the decision. On Monday, he found Kumar guilty of charges under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 498A (dowry cruelty), 306 (abetment of suicide), and 304B (dowry death), among others.
The judge then proceeded to today’s sentence hearing.
Kumar was sentenced to ten years in prison for violating Section 304B. For 306 and 298A offences, he received six and two year sentences, respectively.
All of the sentences will run simultaneously.
On June 21, 2021, Vismaya, a 24-year-old Ayurveda Medical student, was discovered hanging from a bathroom window in Kumar’s home.
Vismaya had sent images of bruises and cuts on her body to her relatives via WhatsApp just days before her death, saying that she was being tormented by her husband for dowry. Her family published screenshots of her WhatsApp chats and voice notes after she was discovered dead.
She was allegedly injured as a result of Kumar and his family’s physical abuse in response to their discontent with the “gifts” given to them for their wedding.
Early reports suggested suicide, but the case was later probed as a possible homicide.
The Kerala High Court and the Sasthamcotta Judicial First Class Magistrate both denied Kumar bail.
The death of the 24-year-old Ayurveda Medical student in Kerala caused outrage and reignited debate about the incidence of dowry-related harassment, abuse, and death in Kerala.
All political leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, have vehemently criticised the incident, with Vijayan issuing a statement calling for measures to end the dowry system in society.
The government also ordered all Heads of Departments of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), autonomous bodies, cultural and other government institutions to obtain a declaration from all male government servants within one month of their wedding that they had not taken any dowry in connection with their marriage in a circular issued on July 16, 2021.
