S. B. SINHA, J.

( 1 ) APPELLANT stood trial for commission of an offence under Section 304b of the Indian Penal Code in connection with unnatural death of his wife Sushma Rani.

( 2 ) THEY were married on 11. 03. 1986. An engagement ceremony took place twenty days prior thereto. A demand for dowry was made. It was met in part. A sum of Rs. 25,000/- by way of a demand draft was handed over to the husband 's family at Mansa when shagun ceremony was performed. Allegedly another sum of Rs. 11,000/- was paid in cash, as further demand was made by the family of the appellant. However, allegedly at the time of marriage the parents of the appellant demanded a further sum of Rs. 40,000/-in cash which could not be fulfilled. For non-fulfillment of the said demand, the deceased was allegedly tortured.

( 3 ) APPELLANT had sent a telegram on 16. 04. 1988 to Des Raj stating: "mutual MISUNDERSTANDING REACH immediately - RAMESHWAR" on or about 4. 06. 1986, Sat Paul, brother of the deceased (PW-1), visited the house of his brother-in-law Raj Kumar (PW-2), which is situate in the village, where the incident took place and stayed there for the night. On the morning of the next day, both of them vis