Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia, J. - (1.) PRESENT appeal has been preferred by Gurmeet Singh. He along with his parents, was tried in a case FIR No. 269 dated 16 -08 -1999 registered at Police Station Samana under Section 306/34 IPC. The Court of Additional Sessions Judge, Patiala vide its impugned judgment dated 5th February, 2002, acquitted parents of the Appellant, but held him guilty of an offence punishable under Section 306 IPC. Vide a separate order of even date, the Appellant was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of five years and to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000/ -, in default of payment of fine to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for six months.
(2.) THE Appellant was married with Paramjit Kaur eight years before the occurrence. Occurrence, in the present case, had taken place on the night intervening 15th and 16th August, 1999, when Paramjit Kaur consumed Aluminum Phosphide, an insecticide, and died as a result of poisoning. Chanan Singh, father of the deceased Paramjit Kaur, made a statement Ex.PD before Inspector Manjit Singh, SHO Police Station Samana, on the basis of which formal FIR Ex.PD/2 was registered. Chanan Singh stated that he was a resident of village Dhadrian Kalan and was doing agricultural work. His daughter Paramjit Kaur was married eight years before with Gurmeet Singh son of Balkar Singh according to sikh religious rites. His daughter had given birth to two sons aged 6 1/2 years and 4 years respectively. After a few days of the marriage, mother -in -law, father -in -law and husband of the deceased started harassing her for bringing less dowry and demanded a scooter. The complainant had given dowry articles beyond his capacity. Two years after the marriage, when husband, mother -in -law and father -in -law of the deceased Paramjit Kaur came to the village of the complainant, they told that they were respectable persons and they required a scooter, otherwise their reputation would stand lowered in the society. Family of the complainant made entreaties and after 2/4 months, purchased a scooter from Sangrur and gave it to the in -laws of their daughter. A month before the occurrence, deceased Paramjit Kaur along with her husband Gurmeet Singh, came to village Dhadrian Kalan and disclosed that they required Rs. 20,000/ -for constructing the house, upon which the complainant stated that he was not having this much amount and he would make an arrangement and send the money after 2/3 months. Due to certain limitations, the amount could not be arranged. The complainant also requested his brothers -in -law Satnam Singh and Jarnail Singh for extending a loan of Rs. 20,000/ - to satisfy the demand of the accused. It is stated that for not fulfilling this demand, son -in -law of the complainant used to beat and maltreat the deceased Paramjit Kaur. On the day of occurrence, complainant along with his relations Satnam Singh and Jarnail Singh reached the village of the accused to explain his difficulty in arranging the money and found that Paramjit Kaur was lying on a cot. Her dead body was kept in the ice. At that time, mother -in -law and father -in -law of Paramjit Kaur stated that she has consumed some poisonous substance, due to which she has died.
(3.) THE above said FIR was investigated and a report under Section 173 Code of Criminal Procedure was submitted.;