JUDGMENT :

B.R. GAVAI, J.

1. These appeals by special leave challenge the judgment and order dated 20.2.2009 passed by the Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Criminal Appeal No. 544DBA of 2001 and Criminal Appeal No. 959SB of 2000. All the four accused, including the appellant herein (accused No.3), who is husband of the deceased, were charged and tried by the learned trial Court for the offence punishable under Section 304B and Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter referred to as “IPC”). The other accused were the father (accused No.1), the mother (accused No.2) and the sister-in-law (wife of brother) (accused No.4) of the appellant. The Additional Sessions Judge, Hoshiarpur, held that the prosecution had succeeded in proving the case against accused Nos. 1 to 3 for the offence punishable under Section 498A of the IPC but has failed to prove the case against the said accused (Nos. 1, 2 and 3) for the offence punishable under Section 304B of the IPC. Insofar as accused No. 4 is concerned, it was held that the prosecution has failed to prove the case against her for both the offences and she was accordingly acquitted of the offence charged. The t