title: State of Punjab v. Amarjit Singh, 1 September 1988.
abstract: The Supreme Court of India reversed a ruling of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, which acquitted the defendant of criminal charges for causing the death of his wife by setting his wife on fire.  It refused to invalidate the dying declaration of the wife that her husband had set her on fire, despite the fact that it was not recorded by a magistrate.  It found the declaration supported by other evidence.  In a similar case, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision convicting the victim's mother-in-law of murder.  It allowed as evidence the statement of the physician who had treated the victim that the victim had told him that her mother-in-law had set her on fire.  It also deprecated the failure of the investigating agency to prosecute the victim's husband and brother, who were strongly implicated in the crime.  See Lichhamadevi vs. State of Rajasthan, 2 August 1988, All India Reporter, Vol. 75, 1988, Supreme Court, p. 1785.
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D003415:Crime; D003906:Developing Countries; D017579:Domestic Violence; D006708:Homicide; D007194:India; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008393:Marriage; D011640:Public Policy; D012940:Social Problems
keywords: Asia; Court Decision; Crime; Developing Countries; Domestic Violence--legal aspects; Dowry--legal aspects; Homicide--legal aspects; India; Nuptiality; Social Problems; Social Protection--women; Southern Asia