A Delhi court has upheld the conviction of the parents of a woman for giving false evidence in connection with killing of their daughter for dowry in 2004.
The victim had lodged a complaint with the Preet Vihar police in east Delhi alleging that her husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law attempted to kill her by pouring kerosene and setting her on fire for not fulfilling their dowry demands.
Later, she succumbed to the burn injuries and, thereafter, Sections 302 (murder) and 304B (dowry death) were invoked against the accused persons.
The victim’s father and mother in their statements recorded by the SDM of the area alleged that the accused persons used to harass their daughter for dowry.
In their evidence in the trial, they stood by their allegations.
Change in story
But during their cross examination, they completely resiled from their previous statements and stated that no dowry demand was made by the accused persons.
Immediately after their resile from the previous statements, the court seized of the matter and took them into custody and lodged a complaint with the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of the Karkardooma courts for initiating appropriate proceedings.
Later, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), who heard the arguments, held them guilty of intentionally and deliberately giving false statements in order to save the accused in the case and sentenced each to two years of simple imprisonment.
The parents of the victim had come in appeal against the CCM judgement.
Rejecting their appeal, Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Gupta said: “Keeping in view the aforesaid facts and circumstances, this court does not find any infirmity in the judgement passed by the CMM and holds that appellants have been rightly convicted for the offence punishable under Section 193 (giving or fabricating false evidence in a judicial proceeding) of the IPC.”
