CHABI KARMAKAR Vs. STATE OF WEST BENGAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellants have been convicted under Ss. 498A, 304B and 306 read with Sec. 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The Trial Court had convicted sister-in-law (appellant no.1), husband (appellant no.2) and mother-in-law of the deceased and sentenced them to suffer life imprisonment, 3 years R.I and 10 years R.I for offences under Ss. 304B, 498A and 306 of IPC respectively, along with fine and other default stipulations. Both the conviction and the sentence of the present appellants have been upheld in appeal and the High Court has dismissed the appeal. During the pendency of the appeal, one of the appellants i.e. appellant no. 3 (Sova Rani Karmakar, the mother-in-law of the deceased) had passed away and the case against her stands abated.

(2.) The brief case of the prosecution is as follows:

(3.) Prosecution witnesses PW-1, 3 and 16 have all deposed that there was a demand of dowry about which they were informed when the deceased had come to her maternal house soon before her death. The learned counsel for the State would argue that there is evidence in the form of PW-4 that appellant no. 2 was also having an extramarital affair with another woman which led to frequent discord between the deceased and appellant no. 2 and this was another cause of her harassment.