Jatan Bouri and anr Vs. State of Jharkhand - Court Judgment

Excerpt:

Judgment:

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI Cr. Appeal (DB) No.263 of 2013 1. Jatan Bouri.

2. Kali Bouri. ……Appellants.  ­Versus­ The State of Jharkhand. ..….. Respondent. ­­­­­­ CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE NARENDRA NATH TIWARI                HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE P. P. BHATT ­­­­­­ For the Appellants: Mr. K. K. Mishra, Advocate.      For the State  : A.P.P.  ­­­­­­ 05/16.09.2013: On receipt of lower courts' record, learned counsel for the  appellants   pressed     the   appellants'   prayer   for   suspension   of  sentence   and   their   release   on   bail   during   pendency   of   the  appeal.  Learned   counsel   for   the   appellants   submitted   that   the  prosecution evidence is weak; there is no categorical testimony  of any P.Ws. regarding demand of dowry and torture against the  appellants; although the death of the deceased was due to burn  injury, there is no evidence on record to show that the same was  caused   by   the   appellants;   there   is   general   allegation   against  Appellant No.2; she is aged lady and is mother­in­law; Appellant  No.1 is husband of the deceased; Kangal Bouri was also made  accused   in   the   case;   on   trial   said   Kangal   Bouri   has   been  acquitted  on  the   same  set   of   material  and   evidence,   which  is  used   against   the   Appellant   No.2­Kali   Bouri   (mother­in­law);   the  conviction of Kali Bouri­Appellant No.2 has no legal basis.    Learned   A.P.P.   opposed   the   appellants'   prayer   and  submitted that Appellant No.1 is the husband of the deceased  who died due to 95% burn injury within seven years of marriage  and   there   is   legal   presumption   of   dowry   death   against   these  appellants   punishable   under   Section   304B   of   the   Indian   Penal  Code;   it   is   true   that   Kangal   Bouri   (father­in­law)   has   been  acquitted   on   the   same   set   of   evidence   as   in   the   case   of  Appellant No.2­Kali Bouri, that alone cannot the ground for her  conviction.     Regard being had to the facts of the case and materials on  record, we are not inclined to release Appellant No.1­Jatan Bouri  on bail.  ­2­ Accordingly, prayer for bail of Appellant No.1 is rejected.   However,   Appellant   No.2­Kali   Bouri   is   directed   to   be  released on bail, during  pendency of the appeal, on furnishing  bail bond of Rs.10,000/­ (rupees ten thousand) with two sureties  of  the like  amount,      each,   to    the    satisfaction   of    learned  District and Additional sessions Judge­I, Jamtara in connection  with   Sessions   Trial   No.23   of   2012,   arising   out   of   Nala   P.S.   Case  No.127 of 2011, corresponding to G.R. No.686 of 2011.    (Narendra Nath Tiwari, J.)             (P. P. Bhatt, J.)  Sanjay/