- (1.) Ashok Kumar (26), son of Sardara and Laxmi Devi (50), of Nahra District Sonepat got married to Sunita, daughter of Kartar Singh and Dhanpati (PW-7), of Dulhera, Police Station Bahadurgarh in July 1999. On May 23, 2000 at 10.00 p.m. Sunita suffered extensive burns in her matrimonial home, struggled to survive for five days but inspite of prompt medical attention, she succumbed to burn injuries on May, 28, 2000. The learned Additional Sessions Judge, Sonepat tried Sunita's husband Ashok Kumar, mother-in-law Laxmi Devi, Ashok Kumar's brother Raj Singh and his wife Phoolan, for the murder of Sunita. Ashok Kumar, Raj Singh and Phoolan were found guilty under Section 302/34 and 498-A of the Indian Penal Code on May 2, 2005 and sentenced to life imprisonment and lesser sentences. Laxmi Devi was acquitted.
(2.) The case was registered on the basis of the complaint filed by Dhanpati before ASI Bishamber Lal. Dhanpati's statement was recorded at 3.15 a.m. on May 24, 2000 at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak where her daughter had been admitted.
(3.) The prosecution case as unfolded in Dhanpati's statement was that at the time of marriage, she had given dowry more than her capacity. But when Sunita returned to her parental home after 15 days of her marriage, she told her mother that Laxmi Devi, Raj Singh, Phoolan, Anita and Ashok Kumar would taunt her for bringing less dowry. They would say that she had not brought a fridge and a colour television.;