RAMAN VARADHAN Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE appellant, the sole accused in Sessions Case No. 35 of 2002 on the file of the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Erode, having been convicted for the offence under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life and also to pay a fine of Rs. 5,000/- and in default to undergo rigorous imprisonment for six months, has preferred this appeal.

(2.) THE deceased by name Maral is the wife of one Seerangan, the brother of P. W. 1. After the demise of the said Seerangan, the accused had developed illicit intimacy with the deceased. In order to warn the accused not to indulge in such illicit intimacy with the deceased, a panchayat was convened and the accused was made to pay a fine of Rs. 1,001/- and the accused also paid the said fine. In spite of the panchayat, the accused and the deceased continued their illicit relationship and the same was not liked by P. W. 4, the daughter of the deceased. Hence, the daughter of the deceased objected the accused coming to the house. However, she was beaten by the accused for such objection. Later the deceased herself expressed her unwillingness to go with the accused and therefore the accused warned that he will do away her. With the above motive, the accused at about 10. 00 p. m. , on 14. 8. 2001 had committed the murder of the deceased by pressing her neck and stabbing on her chest. After committing the murder, he threw the body into a sugarcane field. Hence he was prosecuted for the offence of murder.

(3.) THE evidence placed before the Court below in brief is as follows:-P. W. 1, the brother-in-law of the deceased, got information at about 4. 00 p. m. , on 16. 8. 2001 that the body of the deceased was lying in a sugarcane field belonging to one Angammal. Immediately he went to that place and found the body of the deceased. Thereafter, he went to the Village Administrative Officer, P. W. 2 at about 4. 30 p. m. , on the same day and gave an oral statement, Ex. P-1 which was reduced into writing. Thereafter, P. W. 2 took P. W. 1 to Kodumudi Police Station and gave the complaint to P. W. 14, the Sub Inspector of Police at about 5. 30 p. m. , which was registered in Cr. No. 150 of 2001 for the offence under Section 302 IPC. The First Information Report is Ex. P-9. He forwarded the express reports to the higher police officials and to the Court.