Judgment :

(Rajani Dubey, J.)

Challenge in this appeal is to the legality and validity of the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 2.3.2005 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Rajnandgaon (CG) in ST No.55/2004 whereby each of the appellants stands convicted under Section 304B/34 of Indian Penal Code and sentenced to undergo RI for 10 years, pay a fine of Rs.500/- and in default to suffer additional RI for 03 months.

02. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that marriage of the accused Santosh Kumar was solemnized with Uttara Bai on 20.4.2003 and after marriage, the accused persons started harassing and torturing her in connection with demand of cooler, TV, clock, cow, Luna, press as dowry, to such an extent that she being fed up with this persistent illegal demands poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze. She was initially taken to Primary Health Center, Dongararh for treatment from where she was referred to District Hospital, Rajnandgaon and then she was referred to Sector-9 Hospital, Bhilai where on 18.9.2003 she died during treatment. On information being given by the doctor, merg was registered and postmortem of the deceased was conducted.

03. During the cours