J.B.Garg, J.

1. Kashmir Singh son of Bakar Singh, aged 20 years, Cultivator of village Kathgarh, District Ferozepur has been acquitted by Shri S. S. Grewal, Additional Sessions Judge Ferozepur on charge for offences punishable under Sections 302/306/498-A and 304-B of the Indian Penal Code. Aggrieved against it, the State of Punjab has preferred this appeal.

2. Briefly stated the story of the prosecution is that Mst. Prito Bai was married to Kashmir Singh about one year prior to the occurrence but the husband used to mal-treat her. The aforesaid Prito Bai had been staying with her parents. Kashmir Singh had come to the house of his in-laws and expressed his regrets regarding the mal-treatment and promised that he would not beat or treat his wife with cruelty in future and on this assurance Prito Bai accompanied Kashmir Singh in the presence of Sunder Singh, Sarpanch and Piara Singh, Panch of her village about 10 or 12 days before the occurrence. However, in the early hours of morning of 10.2.1987, Shankar Singh, father received information that his daughter was not traceable. Shankar Singh, along with his two sons Puran Singh and Lachhman Singh reached village Kathgarh and