NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Kiran Kumar, the accused in the death of Medical student Vismaya M Nair, who committed suicide due to dowry harassment. The apex court accepted the plea that the sentence in the case should be suspended until the Kerala High Court decides on the appeal filed by the accused.

A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and K. Vinod Chandran considered the plea filed by Kiran Kumar, who sought suspension of his sentence until the High Court delivers its verdict. Notably, Kiran is presently out on parole—a factor that influenced the Supreme Court’s decision to grant interim relief.

Kiran had earlier been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 12 lakh by a lower court, following his conviction in the dowry-related death of his wife. He has since challenged the conviction before the High Court and sought relief from the apex court citing delays in adjudication.

The tragic incident occurred on June 21, 2021, when Vismaya was found hanging in a bathroom adjacent to the bedroom at her husband’s residence—Chandravilasam House in Poruvazhy, Ambalathumbhagam. Prior to her death, Vismaya had shared messages and photographs with her classmate and sister-in-law, allegedly detailing instances of physical and emotional abuse.

Following her death, Kiran Kumar initially went into hiding but later surrendered to police at the Sasthamcotta station. He was subsequently dismissed from his position as Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector.

The investigation, led by IG Harshitha Attaluri, concluded within 90 days with the filing of a comprehensive chargesheet. Testimonies from witnesses indicated repeated instances of domestic abuse, including a public altercation related to a car dispute at Chittumala in August 2020, and another at Vismaya’s home in January 2021. The court also accepted audio recordings of phone conversations concerning dowry-related demands as part of the evidence.