JAGJIT SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS appeal is directed against the judgment of conviction and the Order of sentence dated 03-02-1997, rendered by the Court of Additional Sessions Judge, Ludhiana, vide which it convicted the accused/appellants, for the offence punishable under Section 304-B of the Indian Penal Code, and sentenced them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of seven years each.

(2.) THE facts, in brief, are that, Manjit Kaur d/o Dalbara Singh, complainant, was married to Jagjit Singh, accused, ten months before 19-10-1994. At the time of her marriage, Dalbara Singh had given the dowry to his daughter, according to his status. He had given one bracelet and two rings of gold to Jagjit Singh and one ring to the father of Jagjit Singh. A pair of ear-rings was given to Inderjit Kaur, mother of Jagjit Singh and two rings were given to the husband of the sister of Jagjit Singh. Several other articles were also given to the accused. One month after the marriage, Dalbara Singh and his wife Gurdial Kaur had gone to village Jassowal to meet their daughter, Manjit Kaur, in her-in-laws house. Manjit Kaur told them that Inderjit Kaur, her mother-in-law, Jagjit Singh, her husband and Balwinder Kaur @ Bholi, her sister-in-law, who was un-married, at that time, taunted her, on the ground, that she had brought in-sufficient dowry. She also told her parents that these accused further asked her that if she wanted to live in their house, then she should bring one scooter, fridge, coloured T.V., and an almirah, from her parents, otherwise, they would not allow her to live in their house. Dalbara Singh and his wife told their daughter Manjit Kaur, that she should not complain about their-in-laws, and they would talk about this, with their relatives. His wife, Gurdial Kaur, also told Inderjit Kaur, mother-in-law of her daughter, her son-in-law Jagjit Singh, and Balwinder Kaur, sister-in-law of her daughter, not to maltreat her daughter, as they being poor persons were unable to give anything more than what they had already given in dowry.

(3.) ABOUT 15 days, thereafter, Dalbara Singh had gone to village Jassowal to meet his daughter, where, she told him that she had again been beaten by the accused, in connection with the demand of dowry. She further told him that her father-in-law, Malkiat Singh had never asked anything about the dowry. Thereafter, when Dalbara Singh, visited Jassowal, his daughter again disclosed about the maltreatment at the hands of in-laws. She further told that she was afraid that she would be killed by them. The parents of Manjit Kaur, were, however, not in a position to fulfill the demand of dowry, referred to above, raised by the accused from Manjit Kaur.