Jammu: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has denied bail to Major Deepak Tetarwal, an Army officer accused in the dowry death case of his wife, Dr Kavita, who died under suspicious circumstances in October 2023, according to ETV Bharat.
Justice Javed Iqbal Wani, presiding over the case, also rejected a separate plea filed by Dr Kavita’s mother, which sought to cancel the bail previously granted to Tetarwal’s parents.
Dr Kavita, who married Major Tetarwal in April 2023, died on October 1 in her residential quarters in Rajouri. A suicide note retrieved from her device reportedly outlined harassment over dowry demands. Following her death, an FIR was registered under Sections 498-A (marital cruelty), 304-B (dowry death), and 109 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code.
While the trial court had earlier granted bail to Tetarwal’s parents, it rejected the Major’s bail plea, prompting him to approach the High Court. On December 13, the High Court upheld the trial court’s decision, citing the gravity of the charges and the potential for witness intimidation due to Tetarwal’s position in the Army.
Justice Wani noted that the evidence collected during the investigation offered prima facie support for the charges and stressed that granting bail could compromise the fairness of the judicial process. The court emphasized the seriousness of dowry-related offences and reiterated the importance of ensuring a fair trial.
