ANIL MAHTO Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS appeal has been preferred by the appellants against the judgment of conviction and the order of sentence dated 21.9.2001 passed by Shri Sharang Dhar Singh, learned 5th Additional Sessions Judge, Dhanbad in S.T. No. 159/1999.

(2.) BY the impugned judgment the three appellants, namely, Anil Mahto, Sonia Devi and Hublal Mahto have been convicted under Sections 304B/201 IPC The appellants Anil Mahto and Hublal Mahto have been sentenced to undergo life imprisonment under Section - 304B IPC and R.i. for three years under Section 201 IPC, whereas the appellant No. 2 (Sonia Devi) has been sentenced to undergo R.I for .10 years under Section 304B IPC and R.I. for three years under Section 201 IPC. They have also been sentenced to pay the fine of Rs. 5,000/ - each and in default of payment to undergo R.I. for one year.

(3.) THE prosecution case, in brief, is that the informant's daughter Somri Devi was married with the appellant No.1 (Anil Mahto) in the month of Baisakh in the year 1996. After some time Anil Mahto demanded a motorcycle and the appellant Nos. 2 & 3 demanded cash as dowry. Somri Devi used to say that she was being tortured physically also for dowry by the appellants. Subsequently, the informant got information that her daughter was murdered by the appellants on 23.12.1997 and her dead body was also cremated in order to conceal the evidence. When he got the said information, he went to the village of the appellants and the villagers Surya Kant Mahto, Birender Mahto and Nirmai Mahto disclosed that his daughter was murdered on 23.12.97 and her dead body was also disposed of in order to disappear the evidence.