ROOP SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present appeal has been filed by the appellant against the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 06.08.2003, passed by learned Addl. Sessions Judge, Bathinda, whereby he was held guilty and convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of seven years and to pay a fine of Rs. 1,500/ - and in default of payment of fine, to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year under Sec. 306 IPC and he was further convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of two years and to pay a fine of Rs. 500/ - and in default of payment of fine, to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of six months under Sec. 201 IPC. Both the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

(2.) The brief facts of the prosecution case are that FIR was registered on the statement of complainant Mukhtiar Kaur. She stated that her youngest daughter Iqbal Kaur was married with Roop Singh and she gave birth to two sons. About 2 1/2 years back, Raj Singh, brother -in -law of Iqbal Kaur was married and he got scooter in dowry. After the said date, husband of Iqbal Kaur namely Roop Singh, mother -in -law and father -in -law started harassing her and raised demand of scooter from complainant side and her daughter many a times came to the village and told that her in -laws are demanding scooter but they kept silent as her only son was in the Army and there was no other person in the family as earning hand. Complainant further stated that 10 -15 days earlier to the occurrence, she had come to village Gobindpura to see her daughter, who told her that accused are harassing her for demand of scooter. On the day of occurrence, mediator Gurdas Singh came to village Poohla and asked them that they had to rush to village Lelewala as he does not know what has happened to Iqbal Kaur. Then complainant along with some ladies and gents had to rush to village Lelewala. When she along with others reached village Lelewala, her daughter was lying dead on the cot and the people from village gathered there and she came to know that her daughter Iqbal Kaur committed suicide by jumping into the canal minor due to harassment caused by accused Roop Singh and others in connivance with each other. Complainant also stated that her daughter was cremated in her presence and by that time, her daughter Amarjit Kaur and son -in -law Mitthu Singh also reached there and they all went to police station and got recorded the FIR.

(3.) After recording the FIR, the Investigating Officer went to the place of cremation, from where some bones and ash were removed and put in parcel and some were put in a gunny bag, which was taken into police possession, vide recovery memo Ex.PB. From the canal minor, chappals were recovered and taken into police possession. Site plan was prepared. Accused was arrested. After necessary investigation, challan was presented against accused -appellant Roop Singh.