SURINDER SINGH Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Vide this criminal miscellaneous u/s. 482, Cr. P.C., a challenge is made to the complaint dated 22.12.1990 filed by respondent-2 against the petitioners, u/ss. 406, 498A of the IPC pending in the Court of the Judicial Magistrate I Class, Ambala City (Annexure P4) on the basis of which F.I.R. No.8 of 1991 was registered.

(2.) The petitioners herein are close relatives inter se and out of them, petitioner-i is the husband of respondent-2. The marriage of the parties having run into rough weather, the wife moved a complaint on the basis of which F.I.R. No.8 of 1991 was registered at Police Station Kalka, District Am bala.

(3.) According to the averments made in the impugned F.I.R., the marriage of the parties was solemnized on 22.6.1988. At the time of marriage, her father spent more than Rs. 1,00,000/and gave dowry articles, detailed in the list attached to the complaint. Out of the dowry articles, jewellery, furniture, sewing machine were en trusted to petitioner-I, while other articles were entrusted to the other petitioners. At the time of entrustment thereof the petitioners gave an assurance that the dowry articles would be handed over to the wife on demand. When the respondent, reached her in laws house, sisters of petitioner-I, namely Rajinder Kaur, Swaran Kaur and Sant Kaur started taunting her with the remarks that such like dowry was given by persons belonging to low class and that they had expected a scooter and cash amount-of Rs.60,000/-. Respondent-2 explained that her father had given the dowry even beyond his capacity. However, these submissions did not satisfy the petitioners. In order to extract more money from her father, the petitioners began to maltreat her. They even did not provide her adequate meals, nor did they allow her to meet her parents and other relatives. She was even physically maltreated. She wrote letters, to her father who, ultimately, brought her with him. Petitioner-I and his father made a promise to behave in future and she returned to her matrimonial home, but, again, the petitioners started the old game of passing taunting remarks and causing harassment to her and repeated their demand of a scooter and cash Rs.50,000/-. On 24.1.1989, she was given merciless beating. She wrote a letter to her parents who brought the money, but the petitioners did not hear anything regarding maltreatment. Since may 1989, she has been living at her parents house.