JAGADISH MOHANTA Vs. STATE OF ODISHA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal is directed against the judgment and order, dtd. 20/11/2018, passed by the 1st Additional Sessions Judge, Baripada, Mayurbhanj in S.T. Case No. 53 of 2014 (arising out of G.R. Case No.1481/2013 corresponding to Rasagobindpur P.S. Case No. 96 of 2013) convicting the Appellant for the offences punishable under Ss. 302/201 of the IPC and sentencing him to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.10,000.00 i.d. to undergo further R.I. for six months for under Sec. 302 I.P.C. and further to undergo R.I. for 3 years and to pay fine of Rs.5,000.00 only and i.d. to undergo R.I. for three months for under Sec. 201 of the I.P.C.

(2.) The case of the prosecution is that Ramani Mohanta ('the deceased') married Jagdish Mohanta ('Accused No. 1') as per custom and rites of their community in 2009. After six months of the marriage, Jagdish and his in-laws ('accused persons') started to physically and mentally abuse her to get her to bring more valuable belongings as dowry. On the night of 16/9/2013, Jagdish and his family members killed Ramani and jettisoned her dead body in the pond of one Pradhan Babu.

(3.) Shyamsundar Mohanta, who happened to be the mediator of their pre-nuptial arrangement, heard the quarrel in the house of the accused persons. Next morning, Shyamsundar approached Jagdish and his family and asked them about the wellbeing and whereabouts of Ramani. However, Jagdish and his mother informed that Ramani had gone somewhere. Later, Shyamasundar apprised Umesh Mohanta, father of Ramani, of the situation. They proceeded to the village of Jagdish and found the dead body of his daughter floating in the aforementioned pond.