PAPPALA VENKATARAMANA Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These two appeals arise out of same judgment. While appeal No. 1007 of 1991 is directed against the conviction and sentence recorded against original accused No. 1, the appeal No, 1248 of 1991 is preferred by the State against acquittal of original accused No. 2. They are being disposed of by this common judgment.

(2.) Accused No. 1 Pappala Venkataramana is the son of accused No. 2 Pappaia Satyavatamma w/o Pappala Venkataraju. Accused No. 1 was married to Vasantha d/o Jaddu Ramunaidu. Accused No. 1 was serving as an attender in the District Sessions Court of Visakhapatnam. The marriage of Vasantha with accused No. 1 took place on 6-4-1988 at Peddapurli village near Palakonda. The marriage was held according to custom. Vasantha died on 14-10-88 or on the night proceeding it. Her dead body was found floating in a public well in Dondaparthy, which is part of Visakhapatnam and in the nearby locality of which accused No. 1 resides with his parents. These are all not disputed facts.

(3.) The prosecution case is that at the time of the marriage accused No. 1 was to be given a dowry of Rs. 20,000.00 and a wrist watch and certain other articles. However, only Rs. 19,000.00 were actually given at the time of the marriage by the parents of Vasantha and the watch which was offered as a gift did not satisfy in quality. Accused No. 1 as well as his mother were since then very much dissatisfied. Within few days after the marriage both the accused started pestering Vasantha on this account. She was harassed and was told that she was neither good looking nor did her parents give the agreed dowry or a good quality wrist watch and other articles as per custom. She was told that had accused No. 1 chosen some other girl he would have received much more dowry and gifts and a better wife. It is further contended that victim Vasantha had conveyed the demands of her husband and the harassment to her to her parents during her visits and in her letters written, to her parents. The accused however, did not stop the harassment and ultimately Vasantha committed suicide by jumping into the well on the intervening night of 13/14th of October, 1988 i.e. within about 6 1/2 months from her marriage. As the death took place so soon after the marriage a crime was registered against accused persons and on due investigation they were sent to face their trial in the court of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Visakhapatnam.