SUDHI Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) To facilitate the crime for gain, the accused spun a web, like a spider, drawing the victim literally into the jaws of death, for the little gold she wore; her valuable possession from a life of toil, is the case set up by the prosecution.

(2.) The victim was a widow engaged in odd jobs; at the time of her death employed as a domestic help. On 09.07.2013 the lady of the house in which she was employed as a domestic help enquired with PW-10, the tenant of the deceased, for reason of the deceased having not turned up for work on that day. PW-10 who was staying in a portion of the house of the deceased called up the daughter of the deceased, PW-1 who registered a man-missing case on 10.07.2013 as Ext.P1. Later A2 was arrested from Tamil Nadu and on her confession statement regarding the body having been hidden in the septic-tank of the house in which she was staying with A1; it was recovered in a partially decomposed state. A1 was later arrested on 19.07.2013 and the offences in the FIR registered for man missing were altered incorporating Sections 302, 201 and 394 r/w 34 IPC.

(3.) The investigation revealed that A2 had been employed along with the deceased in construction work 15 years back and reconnected two days before the incident. On the promise of finding a suitable person to do the plastering work of the house of deceased, A2 lured her to the house in which she was staying along with A1, on 08.07.2013. They were seen together last, proceeding to the rented accommodation of A1 and A2 by PW-3 and PW-4 a neighbouring shop owner and resident respectively. The deceased was not seen after that and her body was recovered. Her ornaments were sold in the shop of PW-9, the proceeds of which were found in the possession of A1 on his arrest. The gold having been melted, what was recovered was an ingot. The investigation also disclosed the preparation made by the accused to dispose of the body and destroy the evidence.