(1.) THE appellant is the sole accused in S.C. No.233 of 2007, on the file of the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Tiruchirappalli Division at Tiruchirappalli. He stood charged for the offence under Sections 302, 316 and 404 I.P.C. By Judgment, dated 04.09.2008, the Trial Court convicted him under all the three charges and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000/ - in default to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three months for the offence under Section 302 I.P.C., to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/ - in default to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two months, for the offence under Section 316 I.P.C. and to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three months and to pay a fine of Rs.500/ - in default to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two months for the offence under Section 404 I.P.C. The sentences have been ordered to run concurrently. Challenging the said conviction and sentence, the appellant is before this Court, with this Criminal Appeal.
(2.) THE case of the prosecution, in brief, is as follows:
(3.) P .W.13, the then Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cantonment Police Station, took up the case for investigation at 12.15 p.m. on 29.11.2006. Since the death of the deceased had occurred within seven years of her marriage and since it appears to be an unnatural death, he sent a report to the Revenue Divisional officer/Executive Magistrate, Tiruchirappalli to hold inquest under Section 176 Cr.P.C. Accordingly, P.W.10, the then Revenue Divisional Officer, Tiruchirappalli, conducted inquest on the body of the deceased on 30.11.2006. During the said inquest, he examined P.W.1, P.W.2 and P.W.3 and recorded their statements. Ex.P.11 is the statement of P.W.1, recorded by the Revenue Divisional Officer. Ex.P.12 is the Inquest Report. He concluded that the death of the deceased was not out of any demand for dowry or harassment. Ex.P.14 is his report.