RAJIB DOMB ALIAS RAJU DOMB Vs. THE STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE accused Appellant Rajib Domb of village Petroput was convicted on a charge of murder of Sonu Porja and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life.

(2.) ON August 11, 1961 in the morning the Officer -in charge of Jeypore police Station received some information from the Assistant Engineer of Dandakaranya Project that a man was found dead on the right side of the road in the vicinity of a thick jungle. The road crosses the Kolab river near mile stone No. 124/3 where there is a bridge. The Investigating Officer went to the spot and found patch of blood near mile stone No. 124/1 on the Vizag -Jeypore road. He also found a stick, an umbrella, a rag and a bid necklace lying scattered round about. There was a trail of blood from that place to the place on the left side of the road about 60 feet beyond mile stone No. 124/2 where also there was another big patch of blood. The dead body that was found on the road side had a cut injury on the left side of the neck. The police held inquest, made different seizures and the dead body was sent to Jeypore hospital for postmortem examination.

(3.) THE prosecution mainly relies on retracted confession of the accused and certain recoveries including the Tangia and the Khanja Nolis (ear rings) which, it is said, directly connect the accused with the crime. That apart there is evidence that the accused and the deceased were seen together. There is no apparent motive for the murder. The defence is general denial of charges against the accused. It is alleged that the case has been foisted against the accused out of enmity and the alleged identification of the ear -rings purporting to connect the accused with the crime was not properly done.