POOLA RAMESH BABU Vs. STATE OF A.P.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The accused in this case if at all, are the policy makers, who made the liquor available at every place, almost any time, in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Just to accumulate more and more revenue for it, the State has brought about a situation, where, its subjects, who are potential workers, employees, or agriculturists, are made to become slaves of intoxicants, and to commit heinous crimes, under the influence thereof.

(2.) The appellant herein, who is from a weaker section of the society, is the sole accused in S.C.No.379 of 2008 on the file of the III Additional Sessions Judge, Kurnool at Nandyal. He used to depend upon his daily labour for livelihood. His marriage was performed with the Venkatewaramma of Mutylamapadu Village, in the year December, 2007. As is the case with hundreds and thousands of youth mainly from the weaker sections in the State, he too is said to have become a slave to the vice of drunkardness. A1 is said to have suspected character of his wife, hardly within days, after the marriage. On 15.03.2008, his wife is said to have gone for coolie work, whereas, the accused came to the house in drunken condition. Both of them had meals, and at 10.00 p.m., the accused is said to have started quarreling with his wife, and poured kerosene upon her. Feeling threat to her life, the deceased ran away from the house, but the accused is said to have chased her, and threw a lighted matchstick on her. The deceased caught fire, and received burn injuries. Though the fire was extinguished, the burns were severe, and she was shifted to the Government hospital, Koilakuntla.

(3.) PW.9, the Doctor, who treated her, gave intimation to the P.S. Koilakuntla. After registering a case in Crime No.130 of 2008, the Head Constable of the Police Station, PW.12 went to the hospital, and recorded the statement, Ex.P10 from the deceased. Since the condition of the deceased was becoming serious, she was shifted to the Government hospital, Kurnool. On receiving information about the incident, the father of the deceased, PW.1 went to Kurnool, and there, he submitted a complaint under Ex.P1. He incorporated in Ex.P11, the information said to have been furnished by his daughter, during the course of discussion. The deceased breathed her last on 19.03.2008, while undergoing treatment at Kurnool. The provision in the F.I.R was altered; the inquest and Postmortem were conducted. A charge sheet alleging offences punishable under Section 498A and 302 IPC, was filed. The trial Court framed the charges and the trial was conducted.