SATYAWAN SAO Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Satyawan Sao (A-1) has independently preferred Cr.A.No.44/2017, whereas Jageshwar Sao (A-2), Satyanand Sao (A-3) and Kanti Bai Sao (A-4) have jointly preferred Cr.A.No.369/2016 under Sec. 374(2) of the CrPC questioning the impugned judgment and order dtd. 19/2/2016 passed by the 1st Additional Sessions Judge, Raigarh, in Sessions Trial No.215/2014, by which they have been convicted for offences under Ss. 304B read with Sec. 34 and 201 of the IPC and sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life and pay fine of Rs.5,000.00 each, in default of payment of fine to further undergo additional rigorous imprisonment for five months and rigorous imprisonment for one year and pay fine of ? 1,000/- each, in default of payment of fine to further undergo additional rigorous imprisonment for one month, respectively, with a direction to run the sentences concurrently.

(2.) Since both the criminal appeals have arisen out of one and same judgment dtd. 19/2/2016 passed by the 1st Additional Sessions Judge, Raigarh, in Sessions Trial No.215/2014 and since common question of fact and law is involved in both the appeals, they have been clubbed together, heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment.

(3.) Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that marriage of deceased Siddhi was solemnized with accused/appellant Satyawan Sao (A-1) on 7/5/2013 and thereafter, they started living with accused/ appellants Jageshwar Sao (A-2) and Kanti Bai Sao (A-4) being father-in-law and mother-in-law of deceased Siddhi, respectively, and also with Satyanand Sao (A-3) being brother of Satyawan Sao (A-1). The accused/appellants started treating the deceased with cruelty for demand of dowry and on that account, on 2/8/2014 at about 10 a.m. at Village Tarda, Police Station Pusour, District Raigarh, they are said to have strangulated the deceased and in order to kill her, they poured kerosene oil on her body and set her ablaze.