Judgment

RAGHUBAR DAYAL J. : This appeal, by special leave, is against the order of the Punjab High Court dismissing the appellant s appeal against his conviction under S. 307, I.P.C.

2. Bimla Devi, P. W. 7, was married to the appellant in October, 1951. Their relations got strained by 1953 and she went to her brother s place and stayed there for about a year when she returned to her husband s place at the assurance of the appellant s maternal uncle that she would not be maltreated in future. She was, however, ill-treated and her health deteriorated due to alleged maltreatment and deliberate under-nourishment. In 1956, she was deliberately starved and was not allowed to leave the house and only sometimes a morsel or so used to be thrown to her as alms are given to beggars. She was denied food for days together and used to be given gram husk mixed in water after five or six days. She managed to go out of the house in April 1956, but Romesh Chander and Suresh Chander, brothers of the appellant, caught hold of her and forcibly dragged her inside the house where she was severely beaten. Thereafter she was kept locked inside a room.

3. On 5th June 1956, she happened to find her room unlock