NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said forcible unnatural sex with wife by husband is a heinous offence, especially as it had led her to die by suicide, and refused bail to the man who has been in custody for more than two years on charges of dowry harassment, domestic violence and rape.
An FIR was lodged in 2019 by the victim’s brother at Bhiwani Sadar police station in Haryana’s Bhiwani district, under Sections 148, 149, 323, 377 and 306 of the IPC.
A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli refused bail to one Pradeep, who allegedly tortured his wife by forcibly committing unnatural sex with her after her family failed to meet his dowry demands.
The CJI-led bench said Sec 377 (rape) is a very serious offence and that the accused husband did not deserve leniency at the stage of probe. “We do not know what the police are doing. You started demanding dowry. When her family could not meet those demands, you started harassing her. You circulated her private pictures and videos on social media and tried to blackmail her. Above all, you allegedly had forcible unnatural sex with her leading to her suicide. You deserve no leniency as this is a heinous crime.”
When the petitioner’s counsel said that the man is a government servant and would lose his job if not granted bail, the bench said, “It is ok if such persons lose their jobs. You better stay in jail.”
