RAMESH Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellants 4 in number are accused 1 to 4 in S.C.No.318/96 on the file of Principal Sessions Judge, Chennai. They were convicted to undergo imprisonment for life for offence punishable under Sec.302 read with 34 IPC; to undergo 7 years R.I for offence punishable under Sec.397 read with 34 IPC; to undergo 7 years R.I and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/-, in default to suffer R.I for 3 months for the offence under Sec.449 IPC and to undergo 7 years R.I and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/-, in default to suffer R.I for 3 months for offence punishable under Sec.201 read with 34 IPC, on the allegation that on 10.5.95 at about 3.00 or 3.30 p.m they trespassed into the house of the deceased Suseela Ranganathan with intent to commit robbery and with intent to commit her murder and after causing her death, took away 295.955 grams of gold jewels, 13 silver coins, 2 ladies watches and 3 key bunches and thereafter packed the dead body of Suseela Ranganathan and transported the same in a Fiat Car bearing Registration No:TTU – 4117 to the railway track in between Chetpet and Nungambakkan and placed the same on the railway track so as to make it appear that it is a run over case. The brief facts necessary to dispose of the appeal are as follows:

(2.) The deceased Suseela Ranganathan was a resident of No.125, R.B.I Quarters, Kilpauk and she was working as Grade.I Officer in Reserve Bank of India along with P.W.3. On 10.5.95 she went to the Bank and returned to the quarters and thereafter she was not seen alive. P.W.1– K.A. Ramasamy, Sambandhi (rk;ge;jp) of the deceased went to the quarters of the deceased at about 6.00 a.m on 15.5.95 to ascertain whether she was in the quarters because P.W.2 – her sister from Trichy complained to him that there was no response when they rang up to the deceased. He found the quarters locked. He went to the Office and enquired and found that she was absent after 10.5.95. He then passed on this information to Trichy.

(3.) On 17.5.95 he went to G-3 Police Station and gave a report Ex.P.1 to P.W.41 – Sub Inspector of Police, who registered a case in Cr.No.829/95 under the caption "woman missing". Ex.P.43 is the printed First Information Report. P.W.41 proceeded to the quarters of the deceased along with P.W.1 and found the quarters locked. After ascertaining that a mutilated body of a female was kept in the mortuary of Government General Hospital, Chennai, both of them went there, where he identified the body of Suseela Ranganathan. No jewels were found on the body.