2026:CGHC:9429-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR ACQA No. 19 of 2021 State Of Chhattisgarh, Through S.H.O., Police Station Akaltara, District - Janjgir - Champa Chhattisgarh.

... Appellant versus

1 - Sarojkumar S/o Jagdish Prasad Aged About 22 Years

2 - Jagdish Yadav S/o Gulab, Aged About 48 Years

3 - Smt. Shakuntalabai, W/o Jagdish Yadav, Aged About 40 Years All are R/o. Village Rogda, Police Station Akaltara, District - Janjgir -

Champa Chhattisgarh.

... Respondents For Appellant : Mr. Ramnarayan Sahu, Dy. GA For Respondents : Mr. Malay Shrivastava, Advocate.

Hon'ble Smt. Justice Rajani Dubey Hon’ble Shri Justice Radhakishan Agrawal, JJ Judgment on Board (24^th February, 2026) Per Rajani Dubey, J Challenge in this appeal is to the legality and validity of the judgment dated 6.5.2013 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Janjgir, Distt. Janjgir-Champa in ST No.180/2012 acquitting the respondents/accused of the charges under Section 304B/34 and in alternative 302/34 of IPC.

02. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that deceased, Smt. Rinki Bai, was married in February 2012 to accused Saroj Kumar Yadav as per social customs and rites. At the time of marriage, the parents of the deceased gave household articles and gifts according to their capacity. However, a motorcycle and cash amount were not given at the time of marriage and therefore, after marriage she was subjected to physical and mental cruelty by her husband, mother-in-law, and father-in-law for bringing a motorcycle and cash amount of Rs.50,000/- from her parental home. Subsequently, the deceased poured kerosene upon herself and died. During the course of investigation, the accused persons were arrested on 23.07.2012 and sent to judicial remand. The post-mortem examination of the deceased’s body was conducted. A spot map of the place of occurrence was prepared. Memorandum statements of the accused persons were recorded. Seizure proceedings were carried out and statements of witnesses were recorded. After completion of investigation, the charge-sheet u/s 304B/34 of IPC was filed before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Janjgir.

03. Learned trial Court framed charge under Section 304B/34 of IPC and in alternate 302/34 of IPC against the accused which was abjured by them and they prayed for trial. In order to substantiate its case the prosecution examined 07 witnesses in all. 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.

04. After hearing counsel for the respective parties and appreciation of oral and documentary evidence on record, the learned trial Court acquitted the respondents/accused of all the charges by the impugned judgment. Hence this appeal.

05. Learned counsel for the appellant/State submits that the impugned judgment is per se illegal and contrary to the material available on record. From the evidence on record it is clear that the accused persons used to pressurize the deceased for bringing motorcycle and cash of Rs.50,000/- from her parental house and on her failure to fulfill the said demand, tortured and harassed her which compelled her to commit suicide. Learned trial Court was not justified in giving too much weightage to minor omission and contradictions in the prosecution evidence. Thus, looking to the overall evidence on record coupled with conduct of the accused, the impugned judgment is liable to be set aside and the respondents/accused be held guilty of the charge leveled against them.

06. On the other hand, learned counsel for the respondents/accused supporting the impugned judgment submits that the learned trial Court having minutely appreciated the oral and documentary evidence has rightly recorded a finding of acquittal in favour of the accused persons and there being no illegality or infirmity in it, the instant appeal is liable to be dismissed. Reliance has been plac