JAI PAL Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Jai Pal, the present appellant, was charged with having murdered Santosh--his younger brother's wife. The Trial Court found that the charge was proved. He was sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs. 500/-. Aggrieved by the judgment, he has filed the present appeal.

(2.) More than twenty years back, Santosh -- the deceased was married to Sat Narairi -- the younger brother of the appellant. Shortly after marriage, the couple had started residing at Dungerpur in the State of Rajasthan. About five or six months prior to the date of occurrence, Santosh had shifted to the place of her in-laws in village Gurgaon. It is alleged that Jai Pal was unhappy. He feared that she would claim a share in the property at Gurgaon. On the fateful day of July 29, 1992, the appellant is alleged to have sprinkled kerosene oil on Smt. Santosh in the early hours of the morning when she was asleep. He then set her on fire. She woke up. She was rushed to the Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi. She was found to have suffered 65% burns. A.S.I. Budhi Parkash of Delhi Police, who later appeared as P.W. 4, recorded her statement. It is Ex. PF. After more than two weeks, on August 27,1992, Santosh succumbed to her injuries. Inquest report Ex. PD/2 was prepared Dr. G.K. Chobey conducted the post-mortem examination.

(3.) A month later, on September 16, 1992, Rattan Lal, the father of the deceased lodged a written report with the police. It is Ex. PA. The F.I.R. was recorded. After completion of the investigation/the challan was filed in Court.