Judgment

Dr. Mukundakam Sharma, J. —

1.By this Judgment and Order we propose to dispose of the appeal filed by the appellants against the Judgment and Order dated 23-9-2002 of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur whereby the Learned Single Judge dismissed the appeal filed by the appellants against the Judgment and Order dated 17-6-1989 of the Learned Additional Sessions Judge, Khurai, convicting the appellants under the provisions of Sections 306 and 498A of the Indian Penal Code (for short ‘the IPC’) and sentencing each of them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years on each count.

2.The deceased, Shanti Bai, daughter of Janak Rani (PW.1) and Gyan Das (PW.2) was married to Rajbabu-appellant No.1 two years prior to the date of occurrence. On 17.7.1988 Shanti Bai set herself on fire in her matrimonial home and she died because of burn injuries received by her. At the time when the occurrence took place the Appellant No.2, Smt. Munnibai (mother-in-law of the deceased) had gone to fetch water from the well. The husband of Appellant No.2, Shri Jagat Bandhu (father-in-law of the deceased), who was acquitted by the trial court, was away to some other place, whereas Appellan