sai narayana 22 July 2015

query on dowry

Dear friends, in my caste marriage system is like this. Marriage solemnizes at boys place and they bear the entire burden of marriage and reception expenditure. Girl's side contribute their part mostly in the form of gold jewellery to their daughter. In my case, my wife side contribution is 5 lakhs out of which 3.5lakhs in the form of jewellery to her, another 70000/- for mangalsutra and her marriage attire. After all these, the left over is 80000/-. As it is not nowhere sufficient for marriage at my native place and reception expenditure at my working place, I took personal of 350000/- from my salary account. Now the issue is they filed 498A complaint quoting that 5 lakhs as dowry. They attached the photostead copy of that agreement took place between elders during finalisation of marriage. In that agreement, 3.5lakhs in form of jewellery to girl and 1.5lakh to me for marriage expenses was clearly mentioned. My query does it comes under dowry at all? If yes, how to defend myself?

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3 Replies

sai narayana 22 July 2015

I have not quoted remaining parts of the complaint as it is common proforma for all fake 498A,406,DV cases. Before replying, i request you to please go through my query keenly to understand the marriage system in my caste as it is very rare/strange phenomena of bearing marriage expenses burden by grooms. Thanks in advance.

SAINATH DEVALLA (LEGAL CONSULTANT) 23 July 2015

The rituals and traditions regarding marriage do onot have a place in the Marriage Acts or Divorce Laws.Now she claim only the streedhan that has been given by her parents.But lawyers advice many more things to be included in the complaints which have to be proved in the court.Can U just elaborate the contents of the agreement briefly for a better analysis.What's the stage of 498A?

sai narayana 23 July 2015

Dear Sainath garu,

Thanks for replying to my query.

In the agreement, they are committed to give 5 lakhs as dowry, out of which 3.5 lakhs will be in the form of gold jewellery to their daughter, 50000/- cash for my two wheeler and remaining 1 lakh cash for meeting marriage expenses of my side. Thats it.

The one laksh rupees they gave to me is not at all sufficient because in my caste marriage system, the marriage function takes place at bridegrooms place and they has to bear the entire expenditure of marriage function,reception,and even bride's mangalsutra and bride's marriage saree also. After deducting 60000/- for mangalsutra and 10000/- for bride's saree, the left over is only 30000/-. So i took loan of 3.5 lakh rupees as personal loan from my salary account to meet remaining expenditures.