Legal Provisions Involved: Section 483 BNSS, Section 80, 85, 103 and 108 BNS, Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act

Judgment By: Supreme Court of India

Judge/Bench: Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N.V. Anjaria

Facts

Dr. Abhijit Pandey, a dentist from Bhopal, was accused in the death of his wife, Dr. Richa Pandey, in March 2025. The FIR was initially for abetment of suicide. Later, the police added dowry death charges. The High Court had denied him bail.

Key Legal Provisions

 Section 483 BNSS

Section 80, 85, 103 and 108 BNS

Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act

Issues Raised

Whether bail could be granted when the first statements did not mention dowry, and evidence linking the accused to murder or dowry death was weak.

Arguments of the case

The defence argued that the wife’s initial statements did not mention dowry, and there was no clear proof of murder or abetment. The prosecution relied on later statements and post-mortem findings.

Judgment

The Supreme Court granted bail, noting that dowry allegations appeared only later and initial evidence did not conclusively show the accused caused the death. The court clarified this decision does not affect the ongoing trial.

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