MANJU DEVI Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By these three separate appeals filed under Sec. 374 of Cr. P.C., the appellants seek to challenge the judgment dated 17.07.2002 as well as order on sentence dated 18.07.2002, passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Delhi in Sessions Case No.34/2000 (FIR No.177/2000), whereby the learned Additional Sessions Judge had convicted the appellants for the offence punishable under Sec. 498- A/304-B/34 of Penal Code and vide order on sentence dated 18.07.2002 the appellants have been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 3 years and fine of Rs.5,000.00 each for the offence under Sec. 498- A/34; and in default of payment of fine they were ordered to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for a period of six months. In addition, the appellants have been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years each for the offence under Sec. 304-B/34 of IPC. The husband was additionally charged with an alternate charge under Sec. 306 of Penal Code for abetting his wife Pratima Gupta to commit suicide.

(2.) Since the FIR as well as impugned order in all the three appeals are same, therefore, with the consent of the counsel appearing on behalf of all the appellants, arguments in all the appeals are heard together and all the appeals are being disposed of by this common order.

(3.) The case at hand, is yet another case in which a married lady took her life in just two years of her matrimonial life, due to demand of dowry and torture from her in-laws, which is so alleged by the complainant - Lalji Gupta (father of the deceased), in the FIR in question. Appellant - Arun Kumar is husband, appellant - Ram Bharose is father-in-law and appellant - Manju is mother -in-law and appellant - Anil Kumar is brother-in-law (dever) of the victim. According to the complainant, the daughter of the complainant was married to appellant - Arun Kumar in the month of June 1998 and soon after the marriage all the appellants subjected his daughter to cruelty and harassed her for demand of dowry and ultimately on 02.02000, his daughter Pratima Gupta died due to burn injuries. It was shown that soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty by the appellants in connection with demand of dowry.