BIRENDRA PRASAD SINGH Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Appellants have been convicted under Section 498A, 304B, 201 and 420 Indian Penal Code and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years under Section 304B Indian Penal Code and two years under Section 498A Indian Penal Code by the 3 rd Additional Sessions Judge, Bhagalpur, passed by a judgment and order of conviction dated 12/17.4.2001 in Sessions Trial No.545/1999/116 of 1999.

(2.) THE case of the Informant was that his daughter Swarn Lata Devi was married to accused Kailash Prasad Singh but the in -laws used to demand additional dowry. After marriage of 3-4 months, accused Kailash Prasad Singh had come to his village and told him that a land was being sold next to his house and asked for a sum of Rs.50,000/ -. He stated that he was himself in financial difficulty at which he returned to his village very angry. On 30.4.1992, the accused persons came to him for the said amount at which he paid them Rs.50,000/ - in presence of co - villagers. When the Informant started demanding return of the said money, his daughter was tortured and assaulted. They also demanded some more articles. On 10.5.1997 he went to the village of the deceased but the in -laws did not permit him to meet her and told that his daughter went missing since 31.10.1997.

(3.) THE Defence of the Appellants was that the deceased had been living in Delhi with her husband and disappeared from there. The present Appellants who are maternal uncle, mother -in -law and father -in - law have no role to play in the occurrence.