SUSANTH PRATHAN Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant is the sole accused in S.C.No.78 of 2009 on the file of the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Ramanathapuram. He stood charged for the offences under Sections 302 and 404 IPC. The Trial Court, by its judgment dated 30.04.2010 convicted him and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life for the offence under Section 302 IPC (no fine was imposed) and to undergo rigorous imprisonment for one year for the offence under Section 404 IPC. The sentences have been ordered to run concurrently. Challenging the said conviction and sentences, the appellant is before this Court with this appeal.

(2.) The case of the prosecution in brief is as follows:-

(3.) The accused was supplied with all the relevant documents as required under Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The documents were in Tamil. After the committal of the case, since the accused submitted that he wanted to have the aid of a counsel and he had no means to engage a counsel, a legal aid counsel was appointed. In the presence of the legal aid counsel, charges were explained to the accused by the Trial Court and he denied the same. The Trial Court framed charges under Sections 302 and 404 IPC. Since the accused denied the charges, he was put on trial.