Criminal Revision No.503 of 2006 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Revision No.503 of 2006 Date of Decision: 1.3.2011. Baljit Kaur ....Petitioner Versus Mohinder Kaur & others ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAWAB SINGH Present: Mr. S.K. Gupta, Advocate for Ms. Gurveen H Singh, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. Ranvir S. Chauhan, DAG, Punjab, for the respondent-State. NAWAB SINGH.J (ORAL) This complainant's revision is directed against the judgment dated September 2nd, 2005 passed by Additional Sessions Judge (Ad-hoc), Amritsar, whereby, respondents No. l and 2 were acquitted in case bearing First Information Report No. 154 dated September 15th, 2004 under Sections 307, 406, 498-A and 506 of Indian Penal Code and Section 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, Police Station City, Tarn Taran. 2. Baljeet Kaur-complainant (PW-3) was married with Paramjit Singh-respondent no.2 on January 31st, 1997. On December 20th, 2003 at about 9 a.m. she received burn injuries while preparing meals in the kitchen. Paramjit Singh tried to extinguish fire. He also received burn injuries. She was brought to Sahib Nursing Home, Tarn Taran by Paramjit Singh and his landlord Jaspal Singh (DW-1) and Jasbir Kaur-neighbour (DW-2). The Police was informed. Gurmail Singh, Assistant Sub Inspector (PW-6) reached the hospital and recorded the statement of Baljeet Kaur (Exhibit PH). In her Criminal Revision No.503 of 2006 2 statement, she stated that she received burn injuries accidentally. She was discharged on January 7th, 2004. 3. For the first time, statement of Baljit Kaur was recorded on October 22nd, 2004, that is, after about 11 months. Prior thereto, she filed a petition before this Court seeking direction to the Police to register a case. By order dated August 13th, 2004, the petition was allowed with a direction to the Station House Officer, Police Station Tarn Taran to decide the representation of the complainant and proceed in accordance with law. In her statement to the Police, it was alleged that on October 20th, 2003 a verbal dispute arose between her and her husband-Paramjit Singh. Mahinder Kaur- respondent No.2 her mother-in-law dragged her to the kitchen, poured kersene upon her and Paramjit Singh set her on fire. It was also stated that prior to December 20th, 2003, there was matrimonial dispute on account of demand for dowry. However, with the intervention of relations, matter was settled. 4. Admittedly, Baljit Kaur was brought to Nursing Home by Paramjit Singh. He also received injuries in the occurrence. Baljit Kaur in her statement (Exhibit PH) to Gurmail Singh- Investigator stated that she received burn injuries by accident while preparing meals. She also deposed that from the hospital, she went to her husband's house along with him. At the time of her discharge from the hospital, her parents were present and they also accompanied her to the house of her husband Paramjit Singh. Not only that, her parents also attended the marriage of younger brother of Paramjit Singh before filing the petition before this Court in August 2004. Prior thereto, no complaint whatsoever was filed by the complainant against the respondents regarding the alleged incident of January 31st, 1997. For this delay, no explanation worth the name has been put forth by the prosecution. One cannot lose sight of the fact that had it been a case of intentionally causing burn injuries, question of residing with Paramjit Singh after discharge from the hospital for sufficient time would not have arisen. The prosecution also failed to prove that she was ever subjected to cruelty by the Criminal Revision No.503 of 2006 3 respondents on account of demand for dowry. It has also come in the evidence that Mahinder Kaur-respondent No.1-mother of Paramjit Singh was residing separately. 5. With this overwhelming evidence on record, this Court does not find find any infirmity in the well reasoned judgment passed by the Court below. Hence, the revision is devoid of any merit and is hereby dismissed. 1.3.2011 (NAWAB SINGH) SN JUDGE