STATE OF H P Vs. AMAR NATH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) State has appealed against the judgment, dated 27.4.2000, of learned Sessions Judge, whereby respondents Amar Nath, his wife Smt. Geeta Devi and son Hans Raj, who were tried for offences, under Sections 498-A and 306 IPC for allegedly harassing Kanta Devi wife of respondent Hans Raj and abetting the commission of suicide by her, have been acquitted.

(2.) Deceased Kanta Devi was married to respondent Hans Raj, more than seven years prior to 25.5.1997, on which date she consumed poison and ended her life. She gave birth to two daughters. One was aged about 6 years and the other about 2? years at the time of her death. Some one informed the police about the death of Kanta Whether reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Devi by poison. Police reached the village late in the evening. Next morning, inquest was conducted and report Ext. PH was prepared. Dead body was sent to government hospital, Dalhousie, for postmortem examination. PW-6 Dr. N.K. Soorya conducted postmortem examination and noticed that apparent cause of death was poisoning. Opinion was confirmed on receipt of report Ext. PE of Chemical Examiner, to whom viscera was sent.

(3.) On 27.5.1997, statement Ext. PA was made by the father of the deceased, namely Prithi Chand, on the basis of which case was formally registered, vide FIR Ext. PG. As per statement Ext. PA, deceased on visits to her parents' place, used to complain that she was being harassed and ill-treated by the respondents, on account of her having given birth to two daughters and to no male child and also she was being pressurized to make her father agree to their proposal for the marriage of their second son with her sister. It was also reported that proposal for the marriage of a brother of respondent Hans Raj with another daughter of Prithi Chand, the father of the deceased, was turned down, because Prithi Chand did not want his second daughter to be married in the same house.