RAVELLI YELLAIAH Vs. P S TOOPRAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an appeal against the judgment of the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Medak at Sangareddy in Sessions Case No. 473 of 2001. the appellant has been convicted for the offence under Section 302 of IPC and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life and also to pay a fine of Rs. 5,000/-, and in default of payment of fine, he has to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of six months.

(2.) The allegations on the basis of which charge was framed against the accused/appellant was that he had committed murder of his wife by pouring kerosene over her and setting her on fire. Charge was framed under Section 302 of IPC, to which the appellant pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried. Prosecution examined 12 witnesses and exhibited 9 documents.

(3.) PW-1 is the father of the deceased. He stated that he gave his daughter in marriage to the accused. 1 tula of gold and 30 tulas of silver, one wrist watch, one fan, one Almirah and some utensils were given in dowry. As per the agreement, after the marriage, he had also to give one tula of gold in addition to what he had already given. After the marriage, he sent tula gold ear stud through his son and another son-in-law, to the accused. After handing over the ear stud, his son and son-in-law returned. On the next day morning a person came from Chetla Gouraram i.e. where the accused and deceased live and informed that his daughter sustained burn injuries. Then he, his wife Yellamma and his son Yadagiri went to the house of accused on a scooter. His daughter was in front of the house at varandah with burn injuries over the entire body. On hip enquiry, his daughter told him that one day earlier, when he had sent tula gold ear stud, the accused had become angry and he had stated that she had illegal intimacy with her brother-in-law Balaiah. Balaiah was the person who had gone to the house of accused along with the son of the witness to hand over the ear stud. The deceased told the witness that accused poured kerosene on her and set her on fire and thereafter left the house. Then the witness went to the Police Station, Toopran and presented a complaint. Ex. P-1 was the complaint. Police shifted his daughter to Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad for treatment. On the same day at about 10 p.m., she died in Gandhi Hospital. M. R. O. recorded his statement at Gandhi Hospital. Some of the officers visited the hospital and recorded the statement of his injured daughter. He was also examined by the Police.