The Supreme Court has taken a view that only in rare cases life imprisonment should be awarded to those convicted for causing the death of women in dowry-related cases. A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and H L Dattu passed the judgement while reducing to 10 years the life sentence imposed on G V Siddaramesh, convicted by a sessions court in Karnataka for causing the death of his wife Usha. Under Section 304-B (dowry death) of the IPC, the minimum punishment is seven years but the maximum punishment can go up to life imprisonment. In the present case, the Supreme Court said since Siddaramesh was a young man, it would be appropriate if his sentence is altered to 10 years as against the life imprisonment imposed by the trial court. Usha who got married to Siddaramesh on 13th December, 1997, committed suicide by hanging herself at their matrimonial home on 17th January, 1998 within a month of the marriage. She took the extreme step on account of the mental torture meted out to her by Siddaramesh who was demanding an additional 50,000 rupees dowry. The sessions court convicted Siddaramesh under various sections including 304B and awarded the life imprisonment. The Karnataka High Court confirmed the sentence following which he appealed to the apex court.