Judgment :

Dr. Arijit Pasayat, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. Challenge in this appeal is to the judgment of a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, dismissing the appeal filed by the State of Punjab in respect of co-accused Satish Kumar, Madan Lal and Asha while upholding the conviction of the present appellant Raman Kumar. The learned Sessions Judge, Gurdaspur had directed acquittal of the appellant and two co-accused persons who faced trial for alleged commission of offences punishable under Sections 304B and 498-A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short the `IPC)

3. Background facts in a nutshell are as follows:

Suman Bal (hereinafter referred to as the `deceased) was married to the appellant on 11.4.1992. On 13.8.1992 she came to her maternal home with her husband on Raksha Bandhan and stayed there for the night. At 8.00 a.m. while going back to her husband, she started weeping. Her father Sham Lal PW-6 gave her a wrist watch and Rs. 300/-. He also separately gave her Rs.2,000/-. On 16.8.1992 at 8-00 A.M., Surinder Kumar (husband of sister of Sham Lal) met Sham Lal and told him that he received information from Raman Kumar that Suman Bala was burnt in the night at 2.00