VADALA VINAY KUMAR Vs. STATE OF A P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant herein was tried in Sessions Case No.8 of 1996, by the learned I Additional Sessions Judge, Ranga Reddy District at Saroornagar, Hyderabad, for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 306 and 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (for brevity 'IPC'). The learned Judge, having scanned the entire evidence on record, acquitted the appellant of the charge punishable under Section 306 IPC, but found him guilty of the offence punishable under Section 498-A IPC and accordingly sentenced him to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year and also to pay a fine of Rs.1,500/-, in default, to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of one month. As against the conviction, the appellant has preferred this criminal appeal.

(2.) The substance of the charges, framed against the appellant by the learned I Additional Sessions Judge, are as follows :

(3.) The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that Smt. Vanaja (hereinafter referred to as 'deceased') is the wife of the accused. P.Ws.1 and 2 are the parents of the deceased. P.Ws.3 to 6 and P.W.10 are the sisters and brothers of the deceased. P.Ws.7 and 8 are the children of the deceased and the accused. The marriage of the accused with the deceased was solemnized eight years prior to the date of offence and on account of their happy marital life for about 5 or 6 years, they were blessed with two children who are P.Ws.7 and 8. The accused was practising as an Advocate. Later, he was addicted to drinking and was ill-treating the deceased by beating and insulting her.