Court: Delhi High Court
Bench: JUSTICE R.S. Sodhi
Bhawani Devi & Anr. Vs. State On 25 July 2005
Law Point:
Section 498A read with Section 34, Section 304B read with Section 34 — Cruelty, Dowry Death, Common Intention : No iota of evidence to show either mother-in-law or sister-in-law treated deceased with cruelty or had any hand in her death : Statements made before police; also supplementary statements do not lead to any inference with any petitioner involved in aforesaid offences : Trial Court had not applied its mind to requirements under Section 498A or 304B, IPC : No offence committed by petitioners and they are discharged of offences under Sections 498A/304B, IPC.
JUDGEMENT
1. Allowed subject to just exceptions. Application disposed of.
Crl. Rev. Ps. 305-306/2005 & Crl. M.A. 4191/2005:
2. Crl. Rev. Ps. 305-306/2005 are directed against the order dated 4.3.2005 of the Additional Sessions Judge, whereby the learned Judge has framed charge under Section 498-A read with Section 34, IPC and Section 304-B, IPC read with Section 34, IPC against the petitioners on the basis of the statement of Tara Dutt and Bhagirathi Devi.
3. Learned Counsel for the petitioners submits that there is nothing on record to show that the mother-in-law or the sister-in-law have committed any acts of cruelty and/or are responsible for the death of the deceased Radha @ Rukma.
4. Counsel has taken me through the statements of Sh. Tara Dutt s/o Sh. Keshav Dutt, Smt. Nandi Devi, Smt. Bhagirathi Devi as also the statement of Bansidhar.
5. From a reading of the aforesaid statements there is no iota of evidence to show that either the mother-in-law or sister-in-law had treated the deceased with cruelty or had any hand in her death. The statements made before the police, also the supplementary statements, do not lead to any inference with any of the petitioners herein, namely, the mother-in-law or sister-in-law, being involved in an offence under Section 498-A or 304-B, IPC.
6. The learned Trial Court in its order dated 4.3.2005 while making a reference to the statement of Shri Tara Dutt and Smt. Bhagirathi Devi and other evidence on record appears to have not applied its mind to the requirements of Section 498-A or 304-B, IPC.
7. Having gone through the material on record as also the statements and with the assistance of Counsel for the parties, I am satisfied that no offence has been committed by Smt. Bhawani Devi w/o late Shri L.D. Tiwari and Smt. Pushpa, D/o late Shri L.D. Tiwari.
8. Consequently, I discharge both the petitioners of the offence under Sections 498-A/304-B, IPC and allow Crl. Rev. P. Nos. 305-306/2005 setting aside the order qua them. The petitions are disposed of. Crl. M.A. 4191/2005 also stands disposed of.
Revision Petition allowed.
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