Dr. S. Muralidhar, J.:

1. This appeal is directed against the judgment dated 11th March 2002 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, New Delhi in Sessions Case No.190/1999 arising out of FIR No.93/1999 at Police Station (‘PS’) Jaffar Pur Kalan convicting both the Appellants for the offences under Sections 498A and 304B IPC. The appeal is also directed against the order on sentence dated 19th March 2002 whereby, for the offence under Section 304B IPC, both the Appellants were sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life and, for the offence under Section 498A IPC, to undergo imprisonment for three years and fine of Rs.10,000/- each. Both the sentences were directed to run concurrently.

The charges

2. The Appellant No.1 in this appeal is Lekh Ram (A-1) and Appellant No.2 is his son, Parambir (A-2). Both A-1 and A-2 were charged along with the co-accused Karan Singh and Darshna (both proclaimed offenders (POs) at the relevant time) with subjecting Promila (the deceased) between 9th March 1999 and 11th July 1999 to cruelty and thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 498A read with Section 34 IPC.

3. The second charge was that on 11th July 1999, A-1 and A-2 a