MURARI LAL & ORS. vs STATE OF NCT OF DELHI

Judgment text excerpt

$~J- * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on : 3rd November, 2025. Pronounced on : 19th November, 2025 + CRL.A. 620/2004 MURARI LAL & ORS. .....Appellant Through: Mr. Rishi Malhotra, Sr. Advocate with Ms. Ansuiya and Mr. Shivaansh Maini, Advocates. Versus STATE OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Aman Usman, APP. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DINESH MEHTA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIMAL KUMAR YADAV JUDGMENT Per DINESH MEHTA, J. 1. The appeal in hand is directed against the judgment and sentence dated 21.07.2004, whereby the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi (hereinafter referred to as the „Trial Court‟) had convicted the appellants for the offences punishable under Sections 498A/304B read with Section 34 of Indian Penal Code („IPC‟), 1860. 2. Appellant No.1-Murari Lal was the father-in-law, whereas appellant No.2-Anoop Kumar, the husband and Appellant No.3-Leelawati, the mother-in-law of the deceased-Seema Devi, who died under suspicious circumstances on 30.05.1999 in her matrimonial house. 3. Said Seema Devi got married on 31.10.1998 and died (on 30.05.1999) in less than a year of her marriage. Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:NAVEEN KUMAR CRL.A. 620/2004 Page 1 of 12 Signing Date:20.11.2025 16:56:13 4. Complainant/PW-1 Mangtu Ram filed an FIR alleging that her deceased-daughter was murdered by the appellants as they were not satisfied with the dowry given to her by him and his family. Pursuant to the FIR, the Investigating Officer (I.O.) conducted investigation and found that deceased-Seema Devi was not murdered and thus, filed a charge-sheet under Sections 498A/304B/34 IPC while exonerating the appellants for the offences under Sections 302/34 IPC. 5. The case was put to trial, whereafter the Trial Court though frame