BHARATHI RAJA Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Criminal Appeal arises out of the Judgment passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Fast Track Mahila Court, Tiruppur, in S.C.No.67 of 2012, dtd. 28/2/2014, whereby, the appellants have been found guilty and convicted for the offence punishable under Sec. 498-A IPC., and sentenced to undergo RI for 3 years each and to pay a fine of Rs.10,000.00 each, in default to under go six months simple imprisonment

(2.) The gist of the case is that P.W.1 lodged a complaint on 16/9/2021 stating that his elder daughter Shanthi committed suicide, by consuming cow dung powder. Despite best efforts to save her, she passed away in the Government Hospital, Tirupur. The marriage between his daughter Shanthi and first appellant / A1 / Bharathi Raja, was an arranged marriage, held on 29/11/2009. During the marriage, 11 sovereigns of the gold jewels, household articles presented as 'Sridhana'. Two months after the marriage, the 2nd appellant / A2, her sister Tulsi started demanding dowry. For this reason, his daughter was harassed, subjected to cruelty.

(3.) Thereafter, his daughter and A1 set up a separate home and they were living happily for quite some time. Thereto, A1, A2 and the said Tulsi were continuing their harassment. Unable to bear the same, P.W1 along with his daughter went to Mahalingapuram Police Station, Pollachi, lodged a complaint, the police called A1, warned, advised him to behave properly, later A1 let off. Thereafter, A1 and the deceased were living happily, for sometime. A1 demanded gold ring, as dowry, during Pongal festival. Five months before, his daughter was physically, brutally assaulted, she was kicked on the stomach, P.W.1 coming to know about the same, visited his daughter and took her to Tiruppur Government Hospital. Then on, she was staying with her parents, for the past six months.