ASHISH MEHTA Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB & ANR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Tersely, the facts & material, which need a necessary mention for deciding the instant petition for the grant of anticipatory bail to the main accused (husband) and emanating from the record, are that the marriage of complainant Shelly Mehta (respondent No.2) (for brevity "the complainant"), daughter of Suresh Kochhar, was solemnized with petitioner Ashish Mehta on 23.9.2007 at Faridabad, according to Hindu rites & ceremonies. The marriage was stated to have been solemnized with great pump & show. Her father gave sufficient customary dowry articles and gold ornaments by incurring expenditure beyond his capacity.

(2.) As per the initial complaint (Annexure P3), it has been specifically claimed that petitioner and his other relatives used to taunt her for more money and demanded big car, Rs. 2 lacs and jewellery (duly described in the list (Annexure R2/3). When she refused to oblige them, then, they started beating her. On 17.9.2011, when she went to her matrimonial home, then, she was beaten and dragged in the street from the room. The petitioner repeatedly dragged, gave kicks, slaps and fist blows in her stomach.

(3.) Leveling a variety of allegations and narrating the sequence of events in detail in the initial complaint (Annexure P3), in all, the complainant claimed that the petitioner-accused taunted, harassed, abused, tortured and treated her with cruelty in connection with and on account of demand of dowry. In the background of these allegations and in the wake of complaint of the complainant, the present case was registered against the petitioner and his other co-accused, by way of FIR No.94 dated 6.5.2012 (Annexure P1/T), on accusation of having committed the offences punishable under Sections 406, 498-A and 323 read with section 34 IPC by the police of Police Station Division No.5, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, in the manner described here-in-above.