SHEIKH SARFUDDIN Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The two appeals arise from the judgment of conviction and sentence dated 16.05.1991 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge VII, Purnea in Sessions Trial No 103 of 1986/236 of 1984 by which the 12 appellants in Criminal Appeal No 188 of 1991 have been sentenced to life imprisonment for an offence under Sections 302/149, 147 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) whereas the sole appellant in Criminal Appeal No 223 of 1991 has been sentenced to life imprisonment for an offence under Sections 302 and 148 of IPC.

(2.) At the very outset, we may note that this appeal is of the year, 1991 in relation to an incident that took place in 1983. It has been on the list for some time and it had been called out several times but no one appeared in support of the appeal. We, accordingly, asked Mr Amish Kumar to assist us as amicus curiae. State had no objection. We, accordingly, heard the parties at length.

(3.) Having gone through the entire evidence what we find is that this entire sordid episode is the outcome of dispute between the family of a boy and the family of the daughter-in-law. The conflict being sparked by an alleged dispute between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law with the uncle-in-law dying as a consequence of the fatal singular assault by the uncle of the girl.