RAJAM Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant Rajam is the sole accused in S.C. No. 102 of 2001 on the file of the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Kanyakumari Division at Nagercoil. She stood charged under Sections 341, 364 and 302 IPC and on trial, she was found guilty under Sections 364 and 302 IPC alone and sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment for the former offence and life imprisonment for the latter offence. However, she was acquitted of the charge under Section 341 IPC. Challenging the conviction and sentence imposed under Sections 364 and 302 IPC, the appellant has filed the present appeal.

(2.) The background facts of the prosecution case could be tersely and briefly portrayed thus.

(3.) By way of unfolding the prosecution case, 15 witnesses were examined as P.Ws.1 to 15, Exs.P-1 to P-14 were marked along with M.Os.1 to 10. In response to the questions put to her under Section 313 Cr.P.C. about the incriminating circumstances found in the evidence of prosecution witnesses, the accused came forward with a specific case to the effect that there had been a long standing civil dispute relating to the house property; that the accused attempted to grab her property; that somebody murdered Arunachalam and managed to put his dead body inside her house through the back door and that thereby the case was foisted as against her. The trial court ultimately found the accused guilty and recorded the conviction and imposed the sentences as set out supra.