DILIP RAM AND ORS. Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present appeal arises out of the judgment of conviction dated the 17th day of November, 2006 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Presiding Officer, Fast Track Court No. 2, Jehanabad in S.T. No. 27 of 2003/ Tr. No. 822 of 2005. By the impugned judgment, Appellants No. 1 to 4, namely, Dilip Ram, Kuldip Ram, Doman Ram and Jarlahi Devi were found guilty of committing offences under Sections 304B and 201 IPC and each of them was directed to suffer RI for seven years and two years on the two respective counts, which sentences were to run concurrently. As regards Appellant Nandu Ram, Rajesh Ram and Shanichar Ram, they were found guilty of committing offence under Section 201 IPC and directed to undergo RI for two years.

(2.) Admittedly, Saketa Devi was married to Appellant Dilip Ram and, as may appear from the written report, the marriage had taken place in the year 1997 whereafter she went to live with her husband in his house and on the day of occurrence she was also residing there.

(3.) The allegation is that after the deceased had come to her parents' house from her matrimonial house in 1999, she was complaining that Appellant Dilip Ram was demanding rupees twenty thousand in cash and due to not getting it, he was ill- treating the lady by assaulting her. It was further stated that after Donga, the lady went back to her matrimonial house and she sent an information to the informant,i.e.,her father P.W. 4 Mungeshwar Ram about the cruelty being meted out to her and he came to the house of the Appellants No. 1 to 4 and told them that he was a poor man and would not be in a position to pay up the money demanded but still, Appellant Dilip Ram was asking for rupees twenty thousand and was telling the informant that if his demand was not met, then his daughter might not be living in his house. The deceased stated to P.W. 4, as per his statement, that she was badly beaten up on many occasions. The informant came back after having attempted to defuse the situation.