KOCHI: Coming down heavily on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its failure to prove charges under the Dowry Prohibition Act, the Ernakulam CBI Special Court has acquitted a Kodungallur native—now a Canadian citizen—and his parents in a case registered in December 2020.
The case, originally filed at the Chottanikkara police station, was taken over by the CBI following a Kerala High Court directive in 2022.
The court acquitted Sreekant Menon and his parents, Jayachandran T K and Beena Jayachandran, of offences under Sections 498A (husband or relative of husband subjecting a woman to cruelty), 313 (causing miscarriage without the woman’s consent), 326A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.), and 506(ii) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, as well as Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
The court observed that the “prosecution miserably failed to prove its case.” Sreekant told the media that the verdict was a major relief. “I lost my job in Canada following the case and had been in jail for over 60 days. Now I am trying to return to Canada after obtaining my passport, which is in the custody of the trial court,” he said.
According to the prosecution, Sruthy Suresh married Sreekant Menon on September 7, 2018, and the couple later moved to Calgary, Canada.
Sruthy alleged that she was subjected to physical and mental harassment by her husband. In her complaint, she claimed that drugs were forcibly injected into her body on several occasions to compel her to extract money from her parents.
She further alleged that in August 2019, she was threatened, taken to a clinic by force, and suffered a miscarriage. Sruthy also claimed that Sreekanth had once forced her to ingest cleaning granules, causing severe internal burns.
In the opening of the 122-page judgment, CBI Special Court Judge N. Seshadrinathan wrote, “Burn the habit, not life.”
While acquitting the accused, the court noted that there was no evidence to support the claim that Sreekant had forcibly administered any white powder or Drano granules as alleged.
The court found no proof of physical or mental torture for dowry or any conduct intended to drive the woman to take her own life.
The court added that medical records from Canada, presented in court, suggested that the woman had consumed the Drano granules herself while under the influence of cannabis, resulting in burn injuries.
The court also found no evidence that Sreekanth’s parents had harassed Sruthy when she stayed at the matrimonial home in India.
The records further indicated that she had given consent for an abortion before qualified doctors. The court observed that if there had been truth in the prosecution’s claims, Sruthy would likely have informed her parents or sister, with whom she frequently communicated, observed the court.
While acquitting the accused under the Dowry Prohibition Act, the court clarified that the giving or taking of property or valuable security must have a direct connection to the marriage, and such a correlation was absent in this case.
