BHUPINDER KAUR Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Bhupinder Kaur, Roop Singh and Pradeep Kaur, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, respectively, of Smt. Ranjit Kaur (hereinafter referred to as the complainant-wife) have filed the present petition under S. 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (hereinafter referred to as 'the Code') for quashing of F.I.R. No. 21 dated 9-8-1997, registered at Police Station Sadar Khanna, under S. 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (hereinafter referred to as 'IPC').

(2.) The aforesaid F.I.R. was lodged on the basis of complaint made by the complainant-wife, who was married to Jaswant Singh son of Bhupinder Kaur petitioner No. 1 in the year 1994. The aforementioned FIR was registered against Jaswant Singh, Amarjit Singh, Bhupinder Kaur, Harbans Singh and Pardeep Kaur, who are husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law of the complainant-wife. However, the name of Roop Singh does not find mention in the said FIR, though he is also apprehending his implication in this case. The aforesaid persons, who have been arrayed as accused, consist the entire family of Amarjit Singh. However, the present petition has been filed only by three persons, named above.

(3.) It has been alleged in the FIR that the marriage between Jaswant Singh and the complainant-wife took place on 13-7-1994. At that time, many articles of gifts and dowry, which constitute Istri Dhan of the complainant-wife, were given and handed over to the accused persons mentioned in the FIR. A few days after the marriage, parents-in-law of the complainant-wife and other relations of her husband started finding fault with the quality of dowry articles and insufficiency in the same. A motor cycle or in lieu thereof an amount of Rs. 35,000.00 in cash was demanded, which was received by accused-Amarjit Singh. A demand was also raised for a Maruti car. When the demand of dowry was not met, the complainant-wife was then maltreated and given beatings by the accused persons. She was turned out of matrimonial house in three clothes in December, 1994. Since her parents were living in Canada, therefore, she was compelled to live in her brother's house and when they came back from Canada, they requested her in-laws to keep her in the matrimonial house. By that time, her husband had also gone out of India. The accused have not allowed the complaint-wife to use her Istri Dhan. They have committed an offence of demanding more dowry by giving her severe beatings and maltreating her, therefore, an action was sought to be taken against them.