- (1.) This appeal is directed against the judgment and order dated 17th January, 2007 passed by the Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court at Chandigarh in Criminal Appeal No. 303DB of 2006. By its impugned judgment the Division Bench while acquitting one of the accusedBaldev Kaur, motherinlaw of the deceased, of the charges framed against her, affirmed the sentence awarded by the Additional Session Judge, Barnala against the appellant under Section 304B, 498A IPC. The accusedappellantRanjit Singh has been sentenced to undergo RI for life under Section 304B IPC and further sentenced to undergo RI for two years with a fine of Rs.2,000/, in default thereof to go RI for a further period of six months under Section 498A IPC.
(2.) The Facts Necessary For Disposal Of The Present Appeal are as follows: The informant Bahadur Singh got recorded his statement on 30th May, 1996 to ASI Gurcharan Singh, Police Station Tapa to the effect that he had performed marriage of his daughter Jaswinder Kaur with Ranjit Singh @ Makhan, son of Raghbir Singh, resident of Roorki Kalan in the month of January, 1996. He gave 14 tolas gold, Rs.55,000/ cash, one scooter, fridge, cooler, sofa set, bed, almirah, etc. as dowry. In total he spent 1.5 lakh in the said marriage and fulfilled all the demands so raised by Raghbir Singh, fatherinlaw of his daughter. After about 7 days of marriage, his daughter came to her parents house, she complained about the demand of money as "Shagun", upon which he handed over a sum of Rs.8,000/ to her daughter which she handed over to her husband Ranjit Singh (appellant herein). The complainant Bahadur Singh in his statement further narrated as to how and when his daughter again came to them after 20 days of marriage and told about the demand made by her inlaws and pursuant thereto he again purchased articles worth Rs.1500/ and sent to her daughter's matrimonial house at Roorki Kalan. The complainant further stated that even thereafter also demands were made by her daughter's inlaws asking for articles of good quality as the earlier purchased articles were not upto their satisfaction. The complainant, Bahadur Singh further mentioned the episode of 29th May, 1998 when his wife Gurmail Kaur went to her daughter's matrimonial house at Village Roorki Kalan where her daughter narrated her about the harassment made by her inlaws on account of demand of a car. She further informed her mother that she apprehended that she might be killed by herinlaws and requested to take her alongwith her. However, his wife consoled her daughter and went back to her house at village Kale Ka. On 30th May, 1996, at about 3.30P.M., they came to know about the death of their daughter Jaswinder Kaur and on reaching village Roorki Kalan they found their daughter Jaswinder Kaur lying on a cot in the courtyard of her inlaws house with injuries on her person. The complainant suspected that Raghbir Singh, fatherinlaw, Baldev Kaur, motherinlaw, Raj Kaur, sisterinlaw and Ranjit Singh, husband of his daughter murdered her.
(3.) On The Basis Of The Statement, Fir No. 60 Dated 30Th May, 1996 (Ex.PE) for an offence under Section 304B/34 IPC was registered at Police Station Tapa, District Sangrur.;