- (1.) This appeal has been filed by the two appellants challenging the judgment rendered by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in Criminal Appeal No.226-DB of 2002 dated 18.5.2004. By the aforesaid judgment, the High Court has confirmed the judgment of the Sessions Judge, Faridkot dated 25.1.2002 in Sessions Case No. 48 of 16.12.1997 and Sessions Trial No. 390 of 7.4.1998 whereby both the appellants have been convicted under Section 302 IPC for the murder of Anita Rani, hereinafter referred to as "the deceased". However, Neelam Rani, sister-in-law of the deceased has been given benefit of doubt and acquitted of the charges framed against her.
(2.) It appears that Anita Rani, deceased was married to Amit Kumar, appellant herein, about 4 = years prior to the date when she was set on fire, which led to her death. Both the Courts have noticed the continuous history of torture and harassment of the deceased by the appellants and their deceased mother Kailash Rani as they were not satisfied with the dowry given to the deceased at the time of marriage. Both the Courts have also noticed that continuous efforts had been made to bring about reconciliation between the deceased and the in-laws. Efforts had been made by the panchayat also to make the in-laws of the deceased accept the fact that her parents had given as much dowry as they could afford. However, it appears that the family of the in-laws was not satisfied and, therefore, decided to do away with the young bride, merely 22 years of age. She was set ablaze in broad daylight on the morning of 26.6.1997, in the courtyard of the house belonging to her in-laws. The horror of the story lies in the fact, that the victim lost her life, because her parents failed to provide a refrigerator and a television.
(3.) With the aforesaid tragic prelude, we can now proceed to decipher the events which culminated in the burning of Anita Rani on the morning of 26.6.1997.;