In Brief
The appellants, sister-in-law and brother-in-law of the deceased, were convicted for dowry death under Section 304B read with Section 34 IPC. The trial court sentenced them to seven years rigorous imprisonment, and the High Court upheld this. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that conviction must be set aside. The evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that the appellants resided in a different village and were not present at the crime scene. The FIR assigned them no specific role. Defence witnesses and public documents corroborated their separate residence. In a circumstantial evidence case, common intention with the deceased's husband could not be established. The Court acquitted them and ordered their immediate release.
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