KULWANT SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Out of the five accused namely Kulwant Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Sukhwant Singh, Gurtehal Singh and Harminder Kaur, tried for the offences under Ss. 304-B/498-A, I.P.C., learned Additional Sessions Judge, vide its judgment dated 17-8-1993, while acquitting Gurcharan Singh and Sukhwant Singh alias Sukha both sons of Gurtehal Singh, convicted Kulwant Singh (husband), Gurtehal Singh (father-in-law) and Harminder Kaur (mother-in-law), under the aforesaid sections and sentenced them as under :- <FRM>JUDGEMENT_3695_CRLJ_2007Html1.htm</FRM> However, both the substantive sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

(2.) It is yet another case where a newly wedded bride fell prey at the hands of her in-laws on account of demand of dowry and she after throwing her false dreams of happy married life to the winds preferred to chose heavenly abode along with a child in her womb, than to embrace the bosom of her husband.

(3.) Rachhpal Kaur (deceased) was married to Kulwant Singh on 18-11 -1984. At the time of marriage, she was given sufficient dowry which was entrusted to all the aforesaid five accused at village Ladhian Khurd, Tehsil Ludhiana. After few days of the marriage, the accused-Kulwant Singh (husband), Harminder Kaur (mother-in-law), Sukhwant Singh (brother-in-law) and Gurtehal Singh (father-in-law) started harassing and maltreating Rachhpal Kaur on account of bringing insufficient dowry. Despite the panchayat convened by her parents, the accused did not desist from maltreating her and did not allow her to live peacefully and threatened with dire consequences until their demands are fulfilled. on 15-10-1988, at about 9.00 a.m., Sukhdev Singh complainant (father of the deceased) received a message from his daughter Avtar Kaur that Rachhpal Kaur had been murdered by her in-laws in a suspicious circumstances. On hearing this, he proceeded to her in-laws' house, got conducted her autopsy at Civil Hospital, Mandi Gobindgarh. A DDR No. 14 dated 14-10- 1988 was recorded regarding the incident at Police Station, Mandi Gobindgarh. Thereafter, on the complaint Ex. PG filed by the complainant, a formal FIR Ex. PG/3 was registered at 7.00 p.m. on 2-11-1988.