SARASWATI SHIVANAND KUMBHAR Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD Mr. T. E. Mane, the learned Counsel appearing for the appellant-accused No. 1, Mr. Rahul S. Kate, the learned Counsel appearing for the appellant-accused No. 2 and Mrs. V. R. Bhosale, the learned A. P. P. appearing for the State.

(2.) THE appellants have been indicted for a charge of having committed an offence under Section 302 read with Section 34 of I. P. C. i. e. , committing murder of Smt. Anita w/o Mallinath Kumbhar who was the wife of their brother-in-law by pouring kerosene on her person and setting her ablaze on 29th day of September, 1997 at about 12. 45 p. m. in the landing space of staircase going towards the terrace of the residential Block No. A/6 situated at Homkar Nagar, Bhawani Peth, Solapur. The learned IInd Additional Sessions Judge, Solapur, by judgment and order dated 18th February, 1998 found the appellants-accused guilty of the offence under Section 302 read with Section 34 of I. P. C. and convicted and sentenced them to suffer imprisonment for life which is the subject matter of challenge in this appeal.

(3.) BRIEFLY stated the facts which led to the prosecution of the appellants, were as under: