BIJU Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant stands convicted and sentenced for the pre-meditated murder of his wife.

(2.) The appellant and victim were residing together only for a short period after their marriage. They have a girl child aged 51/2 years and she was living with the victim. Of late, a case was registered against the appellant at the instance of the victim. The allegation therein was that the appellant molested the child. The appellant remained under incarceration in the said case for sometime as an under-trial prisoner.

(3.) On 21/3/2017, a relative of the victim found her lying on the side of the road leading to her house in a pool of blood with injuries on her body. Though the victim was taken by the said relative and another who had reached there, to the Palakkad District Hospital initially and then to Palana Hospital, the victim breathed her last on the way to the latter hospital. A case was registered on the same day by the Palakkad police based on the information furnished by the relative of the victim who took her to the hospital. The investigation in the case revealed that it was the appellant who caused the death of the victim and consequently, final report to that effect was filed in the case. The allegation in the final report is that at about 6.40 p.m. on 21/3/2017, the appellant caused the death of the victim by stabbing her on account of his enmity towards her for lodging a complaint against him alleging molestation of his daughter.