Arijit Pasayat, J. - (1.) Marriages are made in heaven, is an adage. A bride leaves the parental home for the matrimonial home, leaving behind sweet memories therewith a hope that she will see a new world full of love in her grooms house. She leaves behind not only her memories, but also her surname, gotra and maidenhood. She expects not only to be a daughter in law, but a daughter in fact. Alas! The alarming rise in the number of cases involving harassment to the newly wed girls for dowry shatters the dreams. In-laws are characterised to be outlaws for perpetrating a terrorism which destroys matrimonial home. The terrorist is dowry, and it is spreading tantacles in every possible direction.
(2.) With a view to curb the spiraling number of cases where demand for dowry leads to loss of life. Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986 brought about sweeping changes in the penal statutes, and S. 304-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short the IPC) and S. 113-B of Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (in short the Evidence Act) came to be enforced.
(3.) One Sarita (hereinafter referred to as deceased) committed suicide by consuming poison on 14-4-1999. She was married to accused-Surender on 26-11-1995. Other appellants-Hiralal and Angoori Devi were her father-in-law and mother-in-law respectively. Since the death was unnatural, information was lodged with police and investigation was undertaken.;