GANGADHAR YADAV Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS appeal is directed against the order of conviction and sentence dated 3.4.2000 passed in Sessions Trial No. 92 of 1996, whereby and where under the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Koderma held the sole appellant Gangadhar Yadav guilty under Section 498A IPC and convicted and sentenced' him to undergo RI for two years.

(2.) THE brief facts leading to this appeal are that the appellant was married with the daughter of the informant Ram Sahay Mahto about five years back from the date of occurrence. According to the informant, right from the date of marriage the appellant -used to demand Rs.5000/ - as dowry and for non -fulfilment of the same, he tortured her. The matter became aggravated and her daughter was sent back to him by village Mukhia. However, the matter was settled and deceased Bimla Devi was taken back by the appellant to his house just one month before the occurrence. According to the informant on 23.7.1995 he got information that her daughter -Bimla Devi has died. He went to the village Jainagar and found that her daughter was lying dead in the house of the appellant with black spot on her neck. The matter was reported to Jai Nagar Police Station on 24.7.1995, on the basis of which Jai Nagar P.S. Case No. 44/ 95 was registered under Sections 304B/34 IPC against the appellant and five others. The police after investigation submitted charge -sheet against three persons showing two females and one male absconders. The case was committed for trial to the court of sessions. All five accused persons, except Birendra Yadav, were charged for the offence under sections 304B/IPC and 201/34 IPC. The accused persons pleaded not guilty and claimed false prosecution. The learned trial court, after examining the witnesses, acquitted all the accused persons of the charges for the offence under Section 304B and destroying of the evidence under Section 201 IPC but believed on the prosecution version that Bimla Oevi was being tortured before her death for dowry demands. Accordingly, after acquitting all the accused persons, appellant Gangadhar Yadav, being husband of the deceased, was found and held guilty under Section 498A IPC and the learned trial court convicted and sentenced him to serve RI for two years.

(3.) LEARNED counsel for the appellant submitted that in view of the evidence available on record, the story of dowry demand and torture has not been proved beyond all reasonable doubts. In this context my attention was drawn to the evidence of PWs 2 to 4, all witnesses of the village of the appellant Gangadhar Yadav, from which it appears that deceased Bimla Devi fell in the well while plucking lemon.