INAPAKURTHI SHANMUKHA RAO Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Sri. G. Vijaya Saradhi, learned Counsel appearing for the Appellant/Accused and Sri. S. Dushyanth Reddy, learned Additional Public Prosecutor, appearing for the State.

(2.) The Sole Accused in Sessions Case No. 96 of 2014 on the file of the Family Court-Cum-III Additional District and Sessions Judge, Vizianagaram, is the Appellant herein. He was tried for the offences punishable under Ss. 302, 364 and 201 of Indian Penal Code ['I.P.C.']. By its Judgment, dtd. 30/1/2015, the learned Sessions Judge, while acquitting the Accused of the offence punishable under Sec. 364 I.P.C., convicted the Accused for the offence punishable under Sec. 302 of I.P.C. and sentenced him to suffer rigorous imprisonment for life and to pay fine of Rs.500.00 in default to undergo simple imprisonment for three months. The Accused was also sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for seven years and to pay fine of Rs.100.00 in default to undergo simple imprisonment for fifteen days for the offence punishable under Sec. 201 I.P.C. The substantive sentences were directed to run concurrently. Assailing the said conviction and sentence imposed, the present Appeal is preferred.

(3.) The gravamen of the charges against the Accused is that, on 15/5/2013, near Bheemuni Guha, Ramatheertham Village, the Accused is said to have abducted and caused the death of one Pedapudi Karuna ['Deceased'] by stabbing her with a knife and, thereafter, dumped her body into the deep rocky slope to screen the evidence.