Husband, mother-in-law arrested over suspicious death of newlywed in 2020

Thrissur: The Crime Branch investigating the suspicious 2020 death case of a young bride has arrested her husband and mother-in-law soon after the deceased's kin sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The Crime Branch investigators arrested Peringottukara Karuveli Arun (36), husband of Shruthi, and his mother Draupathi (62) on charges of dowry death, on Friday. 

They were produced before Iringalakkuda Judicial Magistrate Court and have been remanded to judicial custody. 

Arun and Draupathi have been charged with IPC section 304 B pertaining to dowry death. If convicted, the duo shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than 7 years. 

The case

Shruthi, daughter of Mullassery Nariyampully Anedathu Subhramanyan and Sreedevi, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the bathroom at her husband’s house on January 6, 2020, the 14th day after her wedding. 
Her husband’s family had maintained that she had collapsed and died in the bathroom. 
Shruthi’s family had filed a complaint saying she was being mentally tortured by Arun demanding more dowry and that they suspect her death to be a murder. Based on this petition, the Crime Branch took over the case and started an investigation.

The Medical Board report, which stated asphyxia to be the cause of death, was crucial in the investigation.

Her family had recently moved the High Court seeking a CBI inquiry as the probe by the local police, and later by the Crime Branch, didn't make any headway after two-and-a-half years.

The arrest was made soon after the Crime Branch received a Court notice in connection with the family’s plea seeking a CBI probe.