The Supreme Court has ruled that receiving customary gifts from in-laws during a ceremony does not come under the ambit of “dowry” which is prohibited under law.A bench of Justices S B Sinha and L S Panta clarified that when a gift is given at the time of customary thread ceremony on the birth of a girl child, it does not constitute dowry for prosecuting a person.The apex court passed the ruling while acquitting Narayanmurthy, convicted by the Karnataka High Court which had held him guilty of causing the death of his wife Jagadeshawari.According to her parents, Jagadeshawari committed suicide by setting herself ablaze at her matrimonial home due to alleged demands for dowry by the accused.Though the trial court had acquitted Narayanmurthy of the charges, the High Court reversed the acquittal mainly relying on the deposition of the family that certain silver items were demanded by the accused during the birth of a girl child to the couple.However, the apex court on an appeal said the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient evidence against the accused on the demand for dowry, except the fact that certain items were given by the deceased’s father B V D Mani at the time of the girl child.
