Judgment

JAGANNATHA SHETTY, J.:- This appeal by speical leave is from a judgment of the High Court of Punjab & Haryana in Criminal Appeal No. 479-DB of 1985. The accused Amarjit Singh, respondent herein, was convicted by the trial Judge for his wife being put on fire. He was sentenced to imprisonment for life. On appeal, the High Court, acquitted him. The validity of the order of acquittal is challenged in this appeal.

2. The prosecution case runs like this : Amarjit Singh was married to Balwinder Kaur on November 28, 1984. He had once gone abroad before the marriage. He wanted to go again. But he was short of money. He was pressing his wife to get him Rs. 16,000/- to cover his foreign travel expenses. On March 10, 1985, her brother, Sarwan Singh, came to take her to his village. But she was not allowed to go by her husband. He was actually insulted. Balwinder Kaur then told the brother that she was being pressurised and also throttled for not satisfying the dowry demand. Sarwan Singh returned to his village. It is in Bassi Kalan, Distt. Hoshiarpur. He apprised the matter to his father, Nasib Singh. On March 20, 1985, Balwinder Kaur when in the kitchen was found inflames. On hearing