2025:CGHC:58008 The date The date The date when the judgment is uploaded on when the when the the website judgment is judgment is reserved pronounced Operative Full

15.9.2025 28-11-2025 - 28-11-2025 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR Judgment reserved on: 15-09-2025 Judgment delivered on: 28-11-2025 CRA No. 842 of 2013

1 - Rahin Bai W/o Metram Satnami Aged About 65 Years

2 - Metram Satnami (Died And Deleted) As Per Hon'ble Court Order Dated

21.08.2025

3 - Chandradev Satnami S/o Metram Satnami Aged About 30 Years

4 - Pinkey Satnami W/o Dhanesh Mahlange Aged About 23 Years

5 - Son Bai W/o Salikram Mahlange Aged About 40 Years

6 - Dhanesh Satnami S/o Salikram Mahlange Aged About 27 Years Appellants No. 1 to 6 are R/o Village-Charoda, PS Kasdol, Revenue District Balodabazar, Civil Distt. Raipur (CG)

7 - Bhuri Bai @ Sampatiya Bai W/o Indra Prabhotidas Aged About 35 Years R/o Maldi, PS Bhathapara Grameen, Rev. Distt. Baloda Bazar, Civil Distt.

Raipur C.G.

... Appellants versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Distt. Magistrate, Baloda Bazar, Distt. Baloda Bazar - Bhatapara C.G.

... Respondent For Appellants : Mrs. Indira Tripathi, Advocate. For Respondent : Mr. Afroz Khan, Panel Lawyer.

Hon'ble Smt. Justice Rajani Dubey, J

CAV Judgment

The appellants in this appeal are challenging the legality and validity of the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 3.9.2013 passed by the learned First Additional Sessions Judge, Balodabazar, Distt. Raipur in ST No.110/2011 whereby the appellants stand convicted and sentenced as under:

Both the sentences were directed to run concurrently.

02. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that marriage of deceased Umabai was solemnized with the accused Chandradev about six years prior to the date of incident 21.6.2009 and she resided well at her matrimonial home for about three years. However, thereafter, the accused persons started harassing and ill-treating her in the name of dowry and demanded Rs.50,000/-. They even beat and ousted her from the house, so she resided at her parental house for about four months. Thereafter, she was taken back to the matrimonial home on the intervention of Village Kotwar and others. However, on 21.6.2009 she died as a result of hanging at her matrimonial home. It is alleged that due to persistent harassment by the accused persons, she committed suicide by hanging herself.

03. During the course of investigation, inquest memo and spot map were prepared by the police, statements of the witnesses were recorded and postmortem of the dead body was conducted. After completing usual investigation, charge sheet u/s 304B/34 of IPC was filed against the accused persons. Learned trial Court framed charges under Sections 304B, in alternative 302, 306 or 306/34, 498A or 498A/34 of IPC against the accused which were abjured by them and they prayed for trial.

04. In order to substantiate its case the prosecution examined 15 witnesses. Statements of the accused were recorded under Section

313 of CrPC wherein they denied all the incriminating circumstances appearing against them in the prosecution case, pleaded innocence and false implication. In their defence, they examined two witnesses.

05. After hearing counsel for the respective parties and appreciation of oral and documentary evidence on record, the learned trial Court convicted and sentenced the accused/appellants as mentioned in para

1 of this judgment. Hence this appeal.

06. During pendency of the appeal, appellant No.2 Metram Satnami died on 10.2.2025, therefore, as per order dated 21.8.2025 his name was directed to be deleted from the array of cause title and the same is deleted accordingly. Hence, the instant appeal in respect of appellant No.2 stands abated and is dismissed as such, and it survives only in respect of the other accused/appellants.

07. Learned counsel for the appellant submits that the impugned judgment is per se contrary to law, facts and circumstances of the case and as such liable to be set aside. To convict a pers