Indian High Courts acquit men in separate dowry death cases

The Allahabad High Court set aside a life‑imprisonment conviction for Mahipal, who had been sentenced for the 2017 killing of his wife Mamta, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove his presence at the scene and produce essential evidence. The bench noted that the same evidence had earlier led to the acquittal of the victim’s father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law, and highlighted gaps in the autopsy findings.

Similarly, the Calcutta High Court overturned the conviction of a man charged under Section 498A for the 2005 death of his wife, stating that the prosecution’s poisoning theory had collapsed. The court quoted that the "poor girl died due to her illness" and cited medical opinions pointing to an enlarged heart and pericardial effusion rather than foul play. Inconsistencies in witness testimony and the absence of external injuries led the bench to deem the evidence insufficient, and the earlier judgment was set aside.