Kailash Kaur v. State of Punjab, 28 April 1987.
The Supreme Court of India rejected the appeal of a mother-in-law convicted of murdering her daughter-in-law by setting her on fire because she was unhappy about the amount of dowry the deceased had brought with her. In its decision the Court noted that in cases such as this it "is the duty of the Court to deal with it in [the] most severe and strict manner and award the maximum penalty prescribed by the law in order that it may operate as a deterrent to other persons from committing such anti-social crimes."  It also regretted the fact that the lower court judge had not treated the case as fit "for awarding the maximum penalty under the law." In another decision issued on 23 September 1985 (All India Reporter, 1986, SC pp. 250-268) the Supreme Court upheld the murder convictions of persons involved in a "bride-burning" incident.
D001208:Asia; D003415:Crime; D003906:Developing Countries; D006708:Homicide; D007194:India; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008393:Marriage; D011640:Public Policy; D012940:Social Problems
Asia; Court Decision; Crime; Developing Countries; Dowry--legal aspects; Homicide--legal aspects; India; Nuptiality; Social Problems; Social Protection--women; Southern Asia