The Supreme Court has asked a man to pay ₹three lakh in compensation to his bride, whom he harassed for dowry, following a 19-year legal battle, reported Times of India.
Incidentally, the couple's marriage ended within just three days after the groom demanded dowry, which led to his conviction and an eventful jail time, added the report.
Currently, the bride has married someone else and is settled abroad.
According to the report, the marriage took place on 3 February 2006, adding the bride's parents presented her 60 sovereigns of gold and the groom 10 sovereigns.
However, the groom demanded an additional 30 sovereigns as a condition to participate in the post-marriage ceremonies at the bride's place.
During the reception, the groom's father took him away and alleged the bride's parents didn't present him the 100 sovereigns.
Unable to take her husband's greed, the woman filed a complaint under Section 498A of IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prevention Act.
The Saidapet court in Tamil Nadu convicted the groom under the provisions of the IPC and DP Act. The bench sentenced him to three years imprisonment and asked him to pay ₹3000 under section 498A of the IPC and one year under section 4 of the DP Act. However, an additional sessions court upheld the conviction and sentence.
Later, the Madras High Court confirmed the conviction and deducted the sentence by a year, added the report.
Following this, the groom moved to the Supreme Court but was asked to be lodged in jail for nearly three months ahead of an apex court hearing.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench noted that the groom had already undergone three months of incarceration during the trial. The bench said, as TOI quoted, "The marriage was solemnised on March 31, 2006, and the couple lived together for three days. As noticed from the HC order, the de facto complainant (bride) is married and settled abroad. The case was prolonged for nearly 19 years. Both the groom and bride had moved on in life."
In the judgement, the SC bench reduced the sentence, citing the period of incarceration already undergone and directed the man to deposit ₹3 lakh within four weeks before the Saidapet trial court. The SC bench also said if the money is not paid then the case would be listed again for hearing.
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