A.CHAKRADHAR Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Accused Nos. 1 and 2 in Sessions Case No. 423 of 2012 on the file of the Court of learned Principal Sessions Judge, Chittoor (for short, 'the trial Court'), are the appellants in Criminal Appeal Nos. 848 and 849 of 2016 respectively. Since both these appeals arise out of the same Sessions Case, they are heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment. Accused Nos. 1 and 2 were tried by the trial Court under the following five charges:

(2.) The substance of the charges is that prior to and on 5/9/2011, accused Nos. 1 and 2, being husband and mother-inlaw of one Divya Madhuri (hereinafter referred to as 'the deceased') respectively, subjected the deceased to harassment and cruelty demanding her to bring additional dowry and two house plots situated at Hyderabad from her parents and being unable to bear the harassment, the deceased died on 5/9/2011 at the house of accused No. 2 by hanging herself to a ceiling fan, died otherwise than under normal circumstances within seven years of her marriage, thereby committed offences punishable under Ss. 302, 304-B and 498-A IPC and Ss. 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act.

(3.) After completion of trial, the trial Court convicted accused No. 1 under charge Nos. 2 to 5. Under charge No. 2, accused No. 1 was sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life; under charge No. 3, accused No. 1 was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of 3 years and also to pay a fine of Rs.1,000.00, in default to suffer simple imprisonment for one month; under charge No. 4, accused No. 1 was sentenced to suffer imprisonment for a period of five years and also to pay a fine of Rs.15,000.00, in default to suffer simple imprisonment for three months and under charge No. 5, accused No. 1 was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of six months and also to pay a fine of Rs.1,000.00, in default to suffer simple imprisonment for one month, while acquitting him of charge No. 1. The trial Court convicted accused No. 2 under charge No. 4 and sentenced her to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of five years and also to pay a fine of Rs.15,000.00, in default to suffer simple imprisonment for three months, and also convicted her under charge No. 5 and sentenced her to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of six months and also to pay a fine of Rs.1,000.00, in default to suffer simple imprisonment for one month while acquitting her of charge Nos. 2 and 3.