Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 1: Following the prosecution failure to prove the case against them, the court today ordered the acquittal of four members of a family, including the victim's husband and parents-in-law, in a dowry death case.
Due to the death of Manjeet Kour of Godan Bala, Akhnoor, under mysterious circumstances on March 9, 2009, police had initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 of CrPC. She was married to Harbans Singh of Godan Bala on November 12, 2003.
However, after the victim's father Kuldeep Singh, son of Lachhman Singh of Jadh, Akhnoor, lodged a complaint with the concerned police station, alleging therein that it was a case of dowry death, police had registered a registered a case under sections 306 and 498-A of RPC against her husband Harbans, sister-in-law Manjeet Kour alias Soni and parents-in-law -Surjeet Singh, son of Gulab Singh, and Kamlesh Kour, all residents of Godan Bala.
Manjeet was admitted to Military Hospital, Satwari, with severe burn injuries and had died before giving her statement to police. On March 10, 2009, her father lodged a complaint with police, alleging therein that due to dowry demands and cruelty, she had set herself ablaze in the evening on March 8, 2009 by sprinkling kerosene oil on herself. He alleged that her in-laws, without informing them or police, had taken her to Army Hospital, Akhnoor, wherefrom she was referred to Army Hospital, Satwari. However, before the arrival of police, she had succumbed to her injuries
The court, after hearing both the sides, observed that prosecution had neither succeeded to prove the cruelty meted out to the victim punishable under section 498-A of RPC nor abetment to commit suicide punishable under section 306 of RPC.
With these observations, the court ordered their acquittal. (JNF) |
