Software engineer sentenced to life for dowry death in Patancheru; three acquitted

A software engineer was sentenced to life imprisonment for dowry death by a sessions court in Sangareddy in connection with a case reported from Patancheru in 2020.

The accused, 43-year-old Guvvala Rajasheker Reddy was convicted under Section 304B of the IPC and fined ₹1,000. Three other accused in the case were acquitted.

According to the police, the case was registered on January 12, 2020 after a complaint alleged that the victim, who had married the accused in 2016, was subjected to continuous harassment by her husband and in-laws over demands for additional dowry. On the same day, after informing her mother about the harassment over a phone call, she was found dead at her residence in Patancheru.

Investigators said the accused had received ₹28 lakh in cash and 80 tolas of gold at the time of the marriage but continued to demand more dowry. The victim had reportedly informed her family on multiple occasions about the alleged harassment. Despite interventions by her family, the situation did not improve.

Police said the woman died at her in-laws’ house in Symphony Park Homes on January 12, 2020. The accused were arrested on January 29, 2020 and a chargesheet was filed on March 10, 2020 after completion of the investigation.

Following trial, the II Additional District and Sessions Judge, Sangareddy, convicted Rajasheker Reddy and sentenced him to life imprisonment, while acquitting the other accused.