PUNITRAM Vs. STATE OF M P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant by this appeal challenges his conviction for the murder of his father-in-law Mohan and sentence of imprisonment for life awarded to him by First Additional Sessions Judge, Raipur, in Sessions Trial No. 93 of 1980.

(2.) Satibai (P.W. 1) is the churied wife of the appellant. Gajribai (P. W. 15) is the mother of Satibai. Sewak Ram (P.W. 2) is the brother of Gajribai. Deceased Mohan, along with his wife, used to live in village Pachri. The appellant was the resident of village Farhada.

(3.) Satibai (P.W. 1) had been married to the appellant about three to four years before and thus she was Jiving with the appellant in village Farhada. It is alleged that after the marriage the appellant had been mal-treating his wife Satibai and sometimes even used to beat her. It also is alleged that Satibai (P.W. 1) had once observed a fast and according to the custom, the appellant was required to pour some milk over cow-dung and it could be thereafter that Satibai could eat something after the fast. On being told, the appellant did not agree to perform that part of the act and even abused Satibai. The next day Satibai went away to her parents house in village Pachri.