The apex court has also suspended the ten years prison sentence awarded to him by the Kollam District Sessions Court, pending a decision on his appeal before the Kerala High Court.
Published Jul 02, 2025 | 2:10 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 02, 2025 | 2:10 PM
Supreme Court (iStock)
Synopsis: The Supreme Court granted bail to Kiran Kumar, convicted in the dowry death of Vismaya, and suspended his 10-year sentence pending appeal in the Kerala High Court. Vismaya died by suicide in June 2021 after dowry harassment. Kumar was found guilty under multiple IPC and Dowry Act sections. He was dismissed from the Motor Vehicles Department post-conviction.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 2 July has granted bail to Kiran Kumar, a convict in the dowry death case of Vismaya, a native of Nilamel, Kollam.
The apex court has also suspended the ten years prison sentence awarded to him by the Kollam District Sessions Court, pending a decision on his appeal before the Kerala High Court.
According to the Bar and Bench, Kiran Kumar following his conviction by sessions court had moved the Kerala High Court challenging his conviction and sentence. While his appeal is still pending before the high court, his application for suspending the sentence was dismissed by it in December, 2022.
With the high court yet to pronounce its verdict in the appeal, Kiran Kumar moved the Supreme Court, which has now ordered a temporary suspension of his sentence until the high court delivers its decision.
The bail was granted with strict conditions, including a directive that Kiran Kumar should not interact with the media or give interviews while out on bail.
Advocate Deepak Prakash appeared for Kiran Kumar in the Supreme Court.
Vismaya was found dead at her husband’s house in Poruvazhi, Kollam, on 21 June, 2021. The 24-year-old woman is believed to have died by suicide following prolonged physical and mental torture over dowry demands.
Her family alleged that harassment intensified after Kiran expressed dissatisfaction with the car gifted during their wedding and the gold ornaments promised.
After an 11-month-long investigation and a four-month trial, the Kollam District Sessions Court found Kiran Kumar guilty under IPC Sections 304B (dowry death), 306 (abetment of suicide), and 498A (domestic violence) in May 2022.
Additional District and Sessions Judge at Kollam, Sujith KN, had sentenced Kumar to 10 years imprisonment under Section 304B of the IPC. He also received 6 years imprisonment and a ₹2 lakh fine under Section 306 IPC, 2.5 years and a ₹50,000 fine under Section 498A IPC, 6 years and a ₹10 lakh fine under Section 3 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, and 1 year with a ₹5,000 fine under Section 4 of the same Act.
However, since the sentences were to run concurrently, Kumar had to serve only 10 years in prison.
The prosecution had submitted a 507-page charge sheet to the court.
Kiran an officer with the Motor Vehicles Department eventually got terminated from the service following the incident.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
