BHARAT LAL Vs. STATE OF HARYANA AND ANOTHER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present petition lays challenge to the judgment dated 9.11.2006 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Jhajjar whereby the appeal preferred by the petitioner against his conviction and sentence for offence punishable under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (in short "IPC") was dismissed and the findings recorded by learned trial court were affirmed.

(2.) The brief backdrop of this case is that Smt. Ramgiri alias Rama was married to Bharat Lal (petitioner) on 4.3.1995. As per allegations set up by complainant Ramgiri, the accused started misbehaving with her. Her husband directed her to serve his friends S.P.Garg, Head of Maths Department in S.K.College and Subhash Mittal. The complainant refused to accept the illegal demand of the husband. On March 07, 1995 she was taken to Jhajjar by her husband and threatened to kill her if demand of Rs. 10,000/- was not fulfilled. To avoid any conflict, her father gave Rs. 10,000/- to Bharat Lal for "Honeymoon'. Her mother-in-law and friends of the family namely S.P.Garg and Subhash Mittal taunted and abused her. The accused asked her to bring scooter for son-in-law of the family. She was taunted for not bringing gold chain for the friends and gold rings for the in-laws family members. She was sent back to her parental home for "Dushar'. Her husband came their to bring her back on March 19, 1995.

(3.) Thereafter, she was again maltreated and harassed for bringing more dowry. She was told that value of a Lecturer bridegroom is Rs. 5-6,00,000/-. The accused continued physical torture on the applicant on the pretext of bringing more dowry. Stridhan given by her parents was taken in possession by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. The complainant had gone to Bhiwani where she was employed before her marriage. Bharat Lal did not allow her to live peacefully at Bhiwani, used to extort monthly salary and when she refused to give money, she was beaten. On 14.5.1995, she fell sick, beaten up mercilessly by her husband and was admitted in the hospital. On 22.5.1995, she had gone to her matrimonial home but she was beaten up and turned out of the matrimonial home. The accused threatened to kill her if she dared to visit her matrimonial home again. She was not allowed to earn her livelihood even at Bhiwani and was continuously subject to harassment by Subhash Mittal due to which she had to resign from her service.