(1.) Marimuthu, Single accused in Sessions Case No. 227 of 2000 on the file of Principal Sessions Judge, Virudhunagar District at Srivilliputhur is the appellant before us. He was charged for murdering three people, and for attempting to murder three more people on 1 -5 -1999. He faced trial on the said charges and convicted and sentenced to death for offence under Sections 302 I.P.C., (3 counts); seven years R.I. for each count for offence under section 307 I.P.C.(3 counts); and three years R.I. for offence under Section 449 I.P.C. on 06 -02 -2004 by the Principal Sessions Judge, Virudhunagar District at Srivilliputhur. On the reference made by the learned District Judge, both the Reference and Appeal were heard together.
(2.) For convenience, the parties are referred herein as described in the trial Court. The case of the prosecution is briefly stated hereunder:
(3.) The prosecution has examined as many as 50 witnesses as P.Ws.1 to 50, marked documents -Exs. P -1 to P -39 and produced M.Os.1 to 43. On the side of the accused, no one was examined and no documentar was marked.