Kollam: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Kiran Kumar, who was convicted in the high-profile dowry death case of 22-year-old Vismaya V Nair. The apex court also agreed to temporarily suspend his sentence, granting him relief while his appeal remains pending before the Kerala High Court.

Kumar, a former state government employee, had approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on his imprisonment until a decision on his appeal in the high court.

The apex court’s decision now has effectively “frozen” the punishment, enabling him to be released on bail.

The Vismaya case

On June 21, 2021, Vismaya, an Ayurveda student, was found dead at her husband’s home in Sasthamkotta, Kollam. Her death was due to repeated dowry harassment and domestic abuse, including physical assault, supported by disturbing WhatsApp messages and photos she had sent to her family.

Following the investigation, Kiran Kumar was found guilty and sentenced in May 2022. The court had also imposed a ₹12.55 lakh fine, and he was dismissed from his post as an Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector after his arrest.