SHER SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS is a petition under Section 482, Cr.P.C., filed by the accused-petitioners, seeking quashment of FIR 95 dated 19.5.1992 under Sections 406/498A, IPC, as also the report under Section 173, Cr.P.C., and all subsequent proceedings, including charges dated 16.9.1993.

(2.) THE petitioner are the father-in-law, the mother-in-law, the brothers and the Bhabhi of Devinder Singh, husband of the complainant, respondent No. 2, Smt. Manjinder Kaur. They filed the present petition seeking quashment of the aforesaid FIR, the challan and subsequent proceedings, including the charges under Sections 406/34 and 498/34, IPC, framed against them, on the ground that they had been falsely implicated in the case, being related to Devinder Singh, husband of the complainant.

(3.) AS referred to above, petitioner Nos. 1 and 2, are the parents-in-law of the complainant, whereas petitioner Nos. 3 to 5 are the brothers-in-law and sister-in-law (Bhabhi) of the complainant, Smt. Manjinder Kaur. In the FIR, which was registered by the Police, on the basis of the complaint, copy Annexure P-1, submitted before the Police, it was alleged that she was maltreated by the accused on account of insufficient dowry and for not meeting the demand for the dowry made by the accused. It was alleged that in October, 1991, she was turned out of the matrimonial home, after giving her beatings by her husband, Devinder Singh and her mother-in-law. Surjit Kaur, while the other accused, namely Sher Singh, Surinder Singh, Narinder Singh and Harinder Kaur, were watching and exhorting them to turn her out. It was alleged that in November 1991, she delivered a female child, but no one came to see the child and the accused refused to rehabilitate her in the matrimonial home.