STATE Vs. S.PONNUCHAMI @ VADIVEL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an appeal against acquittal by the State. The respondents are the accused Nos.1 to 7 in S.C.No.468 of 2001, on the file of the learned Second Additional Sessions Judge, Tirunelveli. There were as many as seven charges framed against the accused. The first charge is under Section 148 of the Indian Penal Code against all the seven accused; the second charge is under Section 506(ii) of the Indian Penal Code against all the seven accused; the third charge is under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code against the accused Nos.1 to 6; the fourth charge is under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code against the accused Nos.3,4, 5 and 7; the fifth charge is under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code against the sixth accused; the sixth charge is under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code against the first accused and the seventh charge is under Section 324 r/w 114 of the Indian Penal Code against the fifth accused. By Judgment dated 07.02.2003, the Trial Court acquitted all the accused/respondents. Aggrieved over the same, the State has come up with this Criminal Appeal.

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

(3.) Based on the above materials, the Trial Court framed charges against the accused as detailed in the first paragraph of this Judgment. The accused pleaded innocence, and therefore, they were put on trial. In order to prove the charges, the prosecution had examined fifteen witnesses and marked twenty eight documents, besides ten Material Objects.