Rithanya dowry death case: HC rejects transfer to CBI, directs SP to monitor probe
Rithanya, who was married to Kavin Kumar for just three months, had allegedly been subjected to dowry-related harassment.
Rithanya-Kavin wedding pic
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has refused to transfer the investigation into the death of 27-year-old Rithanya — who died by suicide in July allegedly due to dowry harassment — but directed the Superintendent of Police, Tirupur, to monitor the ongoing probe. Justice R Satish Kumar noted that substantial progress had been made in the investigation and that transferring it to an independent agency would not serve any purpose.
According to the Live Law, the order came in response to a petition filed by Rithanya’s father, Annadhurai, who had sought a transfer of the probe to either the CB-CID, the CBI, or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a retired judge. He alleged lapses and bias in the current investigation, claiming that critical evidence was being overlooked and that the accused were being shielded due to political influence.
Rithanya, who was married to Kavin Kumar for just three months, had allegedly been subjected to dowry-related harassment. Prior to her death, she reportedly sent voice messages to her father detailing the abuse. Following her suicide, the Cheyur police registered a case under Section 194(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — dealing with suicide by a woman within seven years of marriage.
Her husband Kavin Kumar and father-in-law, Eswaramoorthy, were arrested under Sections 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives) and 108 (abetment of suicide) of the BNS. In August, the court granted bail to Kavin, his mother Chitra Devi, and his father.
Annadhurai further alleged that police failed to invoke additional charges under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, and ignored vital digital evidence from Kavin’s mobile phone.
The State government, however, denied any wrongdoing and submitted that the investigation was being conducted fairly. It informed the court that audio recordings from both Kavin and Rithanya’s phones had been sent for forensic analysis and that appropriate sections would be added during chargesheeting.
