KUVARIA BAI Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Appellant, aged about 66 years, being the mother-in-law of Mamta Bai (since deceased) has been convicted for offence punishable under Sections 306 & 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (for short 'the IPC') and has been sentenced to undergo RI for 10 years and RI for 2 years, respectively with usual default stipulations.

(2.) Deceased Mamta Bai was married with Dhanraj about 3 years prior to the date of incident. The incident happened on 11-5-1996 when she committed suicide by setting herself on fire in her matrimonial house.

(3.) Appellant has been convicted mainly on the statements of Munni Bai @ Rajeshwari (PW-4), Rekhram Yadav (PW-5) & Usha Bai (PW-9). Munni Bai @ Rajeshwari happens to be the Mausi of the deceased. The deceased had informed this witness that her husband is good, but her mother-in-law is quarrelsome and also commits marpeet/assault. Rekhram Yadav (PW-5) is the maternal uncle of the deceased. According to this witness, the deceased used to tell him that the appellant treats her with cruelty on the allegation that she has illicit relation with her father-in-law (appellant's husband). Usha Bai (PW-9) has stated about the instances of cruelty committed by the appellant on the deceased, however, she has not made any statement that the appellant used to make allegation that the deceased is having illicit relation with her father-in-law.