ANJU BALA Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard. According to the prosecution, Anju Bala was married to Gurdial Singh. As per the statement alleged to have been made by her before the Executive Magistrate, she set herself on fire in the house of her parents where she was putting up for the last more than one and a half months. As per her, she set herself on fire because her in-laws were not prepared to keep her in the matrimonial home and her husband had once given her beating. She was turned out of the matrimonial home by her husband and her sister-in-law Anju Bala saying that if she meant her rehabilitation into the matrimonial home, she should bring one box bed, one fan, colour television. She set herself on fire on 7th September, 1998. She had been married at 19th April, 1998. As per her, whenever she asked for money, her husband refused to give her money saying that she should keep staying with her parents. She set herself on fire because of the harassment by her husband, sister-in-law Anju Bala and father-in-law Viram Singh to her. She made yet another statement before the Executive Magistrate on 10.9.1998 wherein she took a complete somersault and stated that there were stones in her kidney. She was under depression on account of stones in her kidney. Despite treatment, she was not well. She poured kerosene oil on her on 7.9.1998 at 10 a.m. out of frustration and not that she set herself on fire because of any ill-treatment by her husband, father-in-law and sister-in-law.

(2.) Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that in the face of these statements which are in contradiction to each other, it is difficult to say that the cause of Anju Bala's setting herself on fire was depression or the ill-treatment to her by her in-laws. He further submits that the petitioner is an unmarried girl aged about 20 years.