JUDGMENT

Per : Hon'ble Ravindra Maithani, J.

Present appeal is preferred by the appellants against the judgment and order dated 31.12.2003 passed in Sessions Trial No. 41 of 2000, by the court of Session Judge, Pithoragarh. By the impugned judgment and order, the appellants have been convicted under Section 498A and 304-B IPC and sentenced as hereunder :-

“(i) Under Section 498A IPC, rigorous imprisonment for a period of three years and a fine of Rs. 1,000/-. In default of payment of fine to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a further period of six months.

(ii) Under Section 304B IPC, rigorous imprisonment for a period of seven years."

2. Briefly Stated, according to the prosecution, the deceased Daya Pant (for short, “the deceased") and the appellant no. 1 Dinesh Chandra Pant were married on 21.06.1997. The appellant Savitri Devi is the mother-in-law of the deceased. On 08.11.1997, the deceased was not found in her house. Upon a search, her dead body was recovered at a distance of 100 meters from the residence. A report of the incident was given by her brother-in-law Naresh Chandra Pant to the concerned Revenue Inspector, who conducted the inquest on 09.11.1997. From near the dead body