JUDGMENT :

S.V. PINTO, J.

1. The appeal is filed by the appellant State under Section 378(1)(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 against the judgement and order of acquittal passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Rajkot (hereinafter referred to as “the learned Trial Court”) in Sessions Case No. 75/2007 on 19.01.2012, whereby, the learned Trial Court has acquitted the respondents for the offence punishable under Sections 306 , 498(A), 323, 504 and 114 of IPC.

1.1 During the pendency of the appeal, the respondent no. 1 - Chandrakantbhai Rungnathbhai Chatvani had expired on 31.12.2017 and the respondent no. 2 – Ranjanben Chandrakantbhai Chatvani expired on 17.02.2017. The appeal qua the respondent no. 1 and 2 was abated by an order of this Court dated 03.03.2025.

1.2 The respondents are hereinafter referred to as “the accused” as they stood in the original case for the sake of convenience, clarity and brevity.

2. The brief facts that emerge from the record of the case are as under:

2.1 The accused nos. 1 and 2 are the father-in-law and mother-in-law of deceased Komalben, the accused no. 3 is the husband and the accused nos. 4 and 5 are the sisters- in-law of deceased Komalb