Judgment :

Dr. Arijit Pasayat, J.

1. Challenge in this appeal is to the judgment of a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court convicting the appellant for offences punishable under Sections 304-B, 498-A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short the `IPC). He was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and to pay a fine with default stipulation for the first offence. But no separate sentence was awarded in respect of the later offence. The appellant faced trial before learned Sessions Judge, Narnaul, and was acquitted by learned Sessions Judge giving him the benefit of doubt. The State Government preferred an appeal which was allowed by the High Court.

2. Prosecution version in a nutshell is as follows:

The marriage of Manju (hereinafter referred to as the `deceased) was solemnised with appellant-Nepal Singh on 26.1.1989. Though Yudhishter Singh (PW5) the father of the deceased had spent sufficient money for the marriage, accused Nepal Singh was not satisfied with the dowry. He demanded a gas connection which deceased conveyed to her mother Lajwant (PW6) on which her father (PW5) got the gas connection and gave it to Manju.

On 16.5.1991, deceased had com