GURPREET SINGH AND ANOTHER Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) ACCUSED Gurpreet Singh and Harmohinder Kaur were convicted under Section 304 -B IPC and sentenced to undergo life imprisonment. Aggrieved by the conviction and sentence passed by the trial Court, the present appeal has been preferred by the accused. It is the case of the prosecution that the marriage of Manpreet Kaur (deceased) was solemnized on 12.12.2005 with accused Gurpreet Singh. PW -1 Surjit Singh was father of the deceased. He had given sufficient dowry articles at the time of marriage of his daughter Manpreet Kaur. Accused Harmohinder Kaur was mother -in -law of the deceased. Accused were not satisfied with the dowry given at the time of marriage. They started maltreating her for having not brought sufficient dowry. They demanded scooter, television and fridge. The deceased narrated the demand raised by the accused to her father Surjit Singh and her mother PW -2 Baljinder Kaur. About three months prior to the occurrence, both the accused gave beatings to Manpreet Kaur and sent her to her paternal house. PW -2 and PW -3 having persuaded Manpreet Kaur after her stay for about four days in the parental house, took her to her in -laws' house and advised the accused not to maltreat her.

(2.) ON 22.3.2007 at about 3 AM, accused Gurpreet Singh telephonically informed PW -1 that Manpreet Kaur had consumed something and was admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. PW -1 and PW -2 descended on the emergency ward of the hospital at 9 AM on 22.3.2007. Manpreet Kaur informed them that her husband and mother -in -law forcibly administered some poisonous substance to her having mixed the same in milk. Thereafter, she became unconscious. PW -1 and PW -2 returned to their house at Nabha. They having received a telephonic message that Manpreet Kaur had died, came down to the hospital. PW -1 lodged a complaint with the police. A formal First Information Report was registered by PW -9 ASI Balwinder Singh.

(3.) PW -9 ASI Balwinder Singh having completed the investigation, laid final report as against the accused.