2026:CGHC:907-DB

2026:CGHC:907-DB

2026:CGHC:907-DB

2026:CGHC:907-DB

2026:CGHC:907-DB

2026:CGHC:907-DB AFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR CRA No. 1103 of 2014 Judgment Reserved on : 14.10.2025 Judgment Delivered on : 07.01.2026

1 - Tarun Kumar S/o Late Sitaram Thakur, Aged About 32 Years, R/o Village Dhamki, PS Kawardha, Civil And Revenue District Kabirdham Kawardha C.G.

2 - Mithla Devi W/o Late Sitaram Thakur, Aged About 55 Years, R/o Village Dhamki, PS Kawardha, Civil And Revenue District Kabirdham Kawardha C.G.

3 - Ku. Neelu @ Vinamrata D/o Late Sitaram Thakur, Aged About 25 Years, R/o Village Dhamki, PS Kawardha, Civil And Revenue District Kabirdham Kawardha C.G.

... Appellants versus

1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through District Magistrate, Kabirdham, Distt. Kabirdham (Kawardha) C.G.

... Respondent For Appellants : Mrs. Indira Tripathi, Advocate For Respondent : Mr. Ankur Kashyap, Dy. Govt. Advocate Hon'ble Smt. Justice Rajani Dubey &

Hon'ble Shri Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad (C A V Judgment)

Per Rajani Dubey, J

1. This appeal is directed against the impugned judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 16.10.2014 passed by learned Fast Track Court of Additional Session Judge, Kabirdham (Kawardha), C.G., in S.T. No.09/2014 whereby and whereunder appellants have been held guilty for commission of offence and sentenced as described below :-

2. The prosecution story, leading to conviction of the accused/appellants is that complainant Bhan Singh Thakur’s daughter, Pinky Thakur, was married to accused No. 01 - Tarun Thakur, on 14.07.2013. After the marriage, the deceased was allegedly subjected to taunts and harassment by the accused persons on the allegation that she had brought insufficient dowry. It was further alleged that accused Tarun Thakur (A-1), who used to speak with the deceased daily on her mobile phone prior to the marriage and after the engagement, discontinued regular communication after the marriage and thereafter maintained only formal interaction with her. It was also alleged that accused Tarun Thakur (A-1) demanded a sum of Rs.70,000/- from the deceased on the pretext that he had purchased land/plot at Raipur. He was also doubting chastity of the deceased and repeatedly threatened that her photographs would be circulated in Kawardha and that her mobile call details would be obtained, whereby her entire history would be revealed. According to the prosecution, whenever the deceased visited her parental home at Kawardha on festivals and family occasions, she disclosed that the accused persons were harassing and pressurizing her in connection with the demand of Rs.70,000/-. It was alleged that in this manner the accused persons subjected the deceased to continuous physical and mental cruelty and ultimately caused her death by setting her on fire. It was further alleged that thereafter the accused persons attempted to conceal the incident by cleaning and tampering the place of occurrence and, thereby causing disappearance of evidence. On the information of accused/appellant Tarun (A-1), merg No.46/2013 was registered vide Ex.P-14. Inquest on the body of deceased was prepared vide Ex.P-2 and dead body was sent for postmortem examination to District Hospital, Kabirdham, where postmortem examination was conducted by Dr. Santosh Luniya (PW-8) and gave his report under Ex.P-13 noticing following injuries/symptoms :-

(i) Body was supine in position, eyes were closed.

(ii) Kerosene smell was coming from body.

Tongue bite in between teeth.

(iii) Extensive burn except sole (foot), more than 95%.

(iv) Cloths and garments were burnt and adherent to the body.

(v) Both the legs and hands were semi flexed, rigor mortis was present (vi) Nasal froth was present. Skin was black in colour and peeled off.

(vii) Some parts of the body tissues were redish in colour.

The autopsy surgeon opined the cause of death of deceased to be shock due to extensive burn of body.

3. Police prepared spot map vide Ex.P-10. Some part of burnt skin, burnt wood