PRASHANT BABURAO UGARKAR Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present criminal appeal is filed by the accused against the judgment and order of conviction and sentence dated 26.8.2014 made in Sessions Case No.194/2012, on the file of Fast Track Court and Addl. Sessions Court, Gokak, convicting the appellant accused to undergo imprisonment for life for the offence punishable under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

(2.) It is the case of the prosecution that, on the basis of the complaint made by PW.13, the grandmother of the deceased, the jurisdictional police registered a case in Crime No.38/2012 for the offence punishable under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The deceased Preeti was working as a washer woman in PLN constructions in Hukkeri taluk. CW.23 Shambhunath Razak, resident of Barigapu Jamujampur, State of Bihar was also working in the said company as driver of the light motor vehicle. The accused suspected the deceased Preeti regarding her character and harassed her. On 21.2.2012 at about 6.00 p.m. the deceased Preeti and CW.23 Shambhunath Razak were found in the kitchen of the house belonging to the accused at Mallapur PG village. The accused saw these two persons and suspected the character of the deceased. Thereafter, on the same day the accused at about 2.00 a.m. on 22.2.2012 caused the murder of Preeti by pressing her neck with the belt. The jurisdictional police after registering the case and after investigation collected sufficient material against the accused and filed the charge sheet. After holding detailed enquiry before the Addl. Civil Judge (Jr.Dn. ) and JMFC, Gokak, the learned JMFC having taken cognizance of the offence against the accused, registered the charge sheet in C.C.No.814/2012. Since the offence alleged against the accused punishable under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code is exclusively triable by the Court of Sessions, the learned JMFC committed the case to the District and Sessions Court, Belagavi.

(3.) On receipt of the committal records, the same has been registered as S.C.No.194/2012 by the Prl. District and Sessions Judge. Thereafter the case was made over to the Fast Track Court and Addl. Sessions Judge, Gokak by an order dated 29.1.2014.