CHUNDA MURMU Vs. STATE OF WEST BENGAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal, by special leave, is directed against the judgment dated 10.04.2006 passed by the High Court of Calcutta affirming the conviction of the accused-appellant as recorded by the learned trial court under Sections 302, 364 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The accused-appellant, Chunda Murmu, has been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life under Section 302 of IPC whereas under Sections 364 and 201 of IPC each, he has been sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for seven years alongwith fine. All the sentences have been directed to run concurrently.

(2.) The case of the prosecution, in short, inter-alia, is that on 15.03.1990, one Anil Mardi, P.W.7, lodged a complaint in the Habibpur Police Station to the effect that his sister Kamla, who was married to the accused appellant for about six years, had been missing since 10.03.1990. It had been further stated, in the complaint filed, that though the complainant had searched for his sister, her whereabouts were not known and that the complainant suspected that she was murdered by her husband, namely, the accused-appellant.

(3.) On the basis of the aforesaid complaint, P.W.16 P.K. Dutta, SubInspector of Police, filed the formal FIR Ex.6 on the basis of which Habibpur P.S. Case No. 17/90 was registered. In the course of investigation, the accused-appellant was arrested on 15.3.1990 at Palashdanga, whereafter, he was brought to Habibpur Police Station. According to the prosecution, the accused-appellant, while in custody, had made a statement that he had murdered his wife and had kept the dead body concealed in the khuti ghar of his father at village Horegram. Furthermore, according to the prosecution, on the basis of the aforesaid statement made by the accused, the dead body of deceased Kamla was recovered from the khuti ghar of one Charan Murmu, the father of the accused-appellant, in the presence of seven witnesses including the Block Development Officer, Shri Manas Kumar Mandal, P.W.15.