MANGE RAM Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) MANGE Ram, his wife Ganga Devi and his son Bijender Singh were tried in the Court of Additional Sessions Judge, Rohtak, for charges under Sections 302, 201/34 and 498-A, Indian Penal Code, for subjecting Shiksha Devi to cruelty by torturing her during the period of three years preceding 18.5.1984 and committing her murder during the night intervening 17th and 18th May, 1984, and also for destroying the evidence of murder by secretly cremating her dead body in the night hours. The learned Additional Sessions Judge acquitted them of the charges under Sections 302 and 201/34, IPC, but convicted them under Section 498-A, IPC and sentenced each of them to three years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 2000/-, in default of payment of fine, to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for six months. Feeling aggrieved, they have filed this appeal.

(2.) SMT . Shiksha Devi deceased was the daughter of Chand Ram PW 7 Bijender Kumar PW 1 is the brother of the deceased. About 3 years prior to her death, i.e., 18.5.1984, she was married to Bijender Singh appellant. He was serving in the Army. Mange Ram is the father and Ganga Devi is the mother of Bijender Singh appellant.

(3.) ON 15.5.1984, Bijender Kumar PW 1 came to the house of the appellants in village Kultana to take Shiksha Devi again to his house but Mange Ram and Ganga Devi, appellants, did not allow her to go and informed Bijender Kumar PW that the husband of Shiksha Devi, i.e., Bijender Singh, was expected shortly to come on leave.