GURMEET SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present appeal arises out of the impugned judgment dated 15.03.2010 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh in Criminal Appeal No. 2298-SB of 2009, wherein the High Court dismissed the appeal preferred by the appellant herein and upheld the order of the Trial Court convicting him under Section 304-B, IPC and sentencing him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and a fine of Rs.5000/-.

(2.) The facts as per the prosecution are as follows: the deceased, daughter of the complainant was engaged to the appellant in 2004. Subsequent to the engagement, the complainant left for Abu Dhabi in April, 2004 and in his absence the marriage between the appellant and the deceased was solemnized on 23.11.2004. In 2006, a child was born out of the wedlock. When the complainant returned from abroad in 2007, the deceased informed him that the mother-in-law, father-in-law and the appellant-husband used to physically assault her pursuant to the demand of dowry. Allegedly, the complainant gave a gold chain to the accused persons. The complainant thereafter went abroad and returned to India on 21.07.2008. The deceased further disclosed that her in-laws were demanding money for the purchase of a car. However, this time, the complainant failed to fulfill the demand.

(3.) On 08.08.2008, the father-in-law of the deceased informed the complainant that the deceased has consumed poison and lost her consciousness and was being taken to the hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, the complainant found his daughter to be unconscious. Later that day she died.