PAPPU SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The accused-appellant was convicted for the offences under Sections 306 and 498-A, I.P.C. by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Barnala in Sessions Case No. 3 of 1995 decided on 9/10.2.1999.

(2.) According to the case of the prosecution, the accused-appellant married the deceased in January, 1994 and that the wife of the accused namely Jaswinder Kaur committed suicide on 30.9.1994. Further according to the prosecution, the accused namely the appellant and his mother, who is accused No. 3 and the paternal uncle of the appellant, who is accused No. 2, were picking up quarrel on minor things with the deceased immediately after her marriage and, therefore, being fed up, the deceased set fire on herself by pouring kerosene oil from the stove. The daughter-in-law of the paternal uncle of the appellant extinguished fire and they took her to the house of the paternal uncle of the appellant from where she was taken to a private Hospital and thereafter she was removed to the Hospital at Ludhiana. While undergoing treatment, Jaswinder Kaur (deceased) died on 30th September, 1999. On the basis of the statement given by the deceased before her death, a case was registered and the investigation was taken up. After completion of the investigation, a charge-sheet was filed against the appellant and two others namely the mother-in-law of the deceased and paternal uncle of the appellant namely Ginder Singh, accused No. 2.

(3.) On the basis of the material placed before him, the learned Magistrate committed the case to the Court of Session. The learned Additional Sessions Judge framed appropriate charges against the accused to which all the three pleaded not guilty.