The main legal point established in the judgment is the requirement for direct evidence of cruelty and harassment, and the need to scrutinize witness evidence, especially when there are contradictions and enmity involved.

JUDGMENT

(Prayer: Criminal Appeals filed under Section 374(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, to set aside the conviction and sentence dated 22.01.2021 passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Mahila Court, Cuddalore, in S.C.No.236 of 2018.)

Common Judgment

1. Both these appeals are directed against the judgment of conviction and sentence dated 22.01.2021 passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Mahila Court, Cuddalore, in S.C.No.236 of 2018.

2. The appellants in Crl.A.No.114 of 2021 are arrayed as Accused Nos.2 & 3 and the appellant in Crl.A.No.573 of 2021, is arrayed as Accused No.1, in the above referred case. They stood charged for the offence punishable under Sections 498-A and 304-B of IPC. By judgment dated 22.01.2021, the learned Sessions Judge, Mahila Court, Cuddalore, came to the conclusion that the appellants in Crl.A.No.114 of 2021/A2 and A3 are found guilty under Section 498-A alone, whereas the appellant in Crl.A.No.573 of 2001/A1 was found guilty under Sections 498A & 304-B of IPC, and accordingly, convicted and sentenced them as follows:

Challenging the said conviction and sentence, all the accused are before this Court, by way of filing these Criminal Appeals.

3. For the sake of convenience hereinafter the appellants 1 and 2 in Crl.A.No.114 of 2021 are called as Accused Nos.2 and 3 and the appellant in Crl.A.No.573 of 2021 is called as Accused No.1.

4. The case of the prosecution is as follows:

(i) PW1-Jothilingam, is the elder brother of the deceased, PW2- Chinnaponnu, is his mother and PW3-Ramalingam, is his father. PW4- Karpagajothi and PW5-Kasilingam, are related to PW1 as sister and brother, respectively. The accused No.1 in this case, is the husband of the deceased Jothilakshmi and accused Nos.2 and 3, are the parents of accused No.1.

(ii) Without getting consent from the family members of the deceased, the marriage between the deceased and accused No.1 was solemnised in the year 2016 at Pachaiamman Temple. Before the occurrence, PW4 got married with the elder brother of accused No.1, in the year of 2012, and later due to her husband's death, returned to her parental home, however, after two months, she again returned to the matrimonial home and stayed along with the accused. In the mean time, after the marriage of deceased, PW4 alone was having casual talks with PW2 and PW3. On the other hand, the deceased came to her parents' house only one time for attending the funeral of her senior paternal uncle [LANGUAGE].

(iii) While at the time the deceased was admitted in the hospital for delivery, the accused refused to bear the medical expenses. In this occasion, PW1, gave Rs.50,000/- to PW4, for the medical expenses of the deceased. However, after six months from the date of the said incident, PW4 informed PW1 that the accused were creating problem in the family of the deceased, by demanding jewels and money. Later, in the year of 2017, during the time of Ayudha Pooja celebration, PW4 contacted PW1 and informed about the death of the deceased.

(iv) After hearing the same, when at the time PW1 went to the deceased house, he informed that the deceased was taken to the Government hospital at Kurinjipadi. Immediately, he went to the hospital and saw his sister's dead body. When enquired with PW4, she informed that in the evening hours when at the time she had gone to attend the milk business, the deceased committed suicide by hanging, and also during such time both