Dowry death
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Summary
If a woman dies from burns, bodily injury, or otherwise under abnormal circumstances within seven years of marriage and it is shown that soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or his relative over a dowry demand, that death is treated as a dowry death. The husband or relative is deemed to have caused the death and faces imprisonment of at least seven years, which may extend to life.
Example
Priya married three years ago dies from severe burns. Her family shows that a few days before her death her husband had been harassing her for more dowry. Under this rule her death is treated as a dowry death and her husband may be deemed to have caused it, punishable by at least seven years' imprisonment up to life.
Bare Act
Enacted text(1) Where the death of a woman is caused by any burns or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under normal circumstances within seven years of her marriage and it is shown that soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband for, or in connection with, any demand for dowry, such death shall be called “dowry death”, and such husband or relative shall be deemed to have caused her death.
Explanations
(1) For the purposes of this sub-section, “dowry” shall have the same meaning as in section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (28 of 1961).
(2) Whoever commits dowry death shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to imprisonment for life.
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