Bombay High Court High Court

Tatyasaheb Limbraj Patil vs The State Of Maharashtra on 8 June, 2011

Bombay High Court
Tatyasaheb Limbraj Patil vs The State Of Maharashtra on 8 June, 2011
Bench: Naresh H. Patil, Mridula Bhatkar
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                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                         CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION          




                                                                                           
                                 CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.524 of 2004




                                                                   
      Tatyasaheb Limbraj Patil                                            ..Appellant
            Vs.
      The State of Maharashtra                                            ..Respondent

Mr. Prakash Naik for the Appellant
Mr. J. P. Yagnik APP for State

CORAM:- NARESH H. PATIL, &
Mrs. MRIDULA R. BHATKAR, JJ

DATED :- JUNE 8, 2011.

ORAL JUDGMENT (PER Mrs. MRIDULA BHATKAR, J.)

1 This appeal is directed against the Judgment and order dated

6-3-2004 passed by 5th Additional Sessions Judge, Solapur, convicting the

Appellant-accused for the offence punishable under Section 302, 498-A and 201

of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He is sentenced to suffer life imprisonment under

Section 302 of IPC.

2 The incident of murder has taken place on 26-4-2003 at Barshi,

District Solapur in the morning at 6.30 to 7.00 a.m. Victim Renuka Tatyasaheb

Patil was the wife of the Appellant. The Appellant and the Victim got married on

6-2-2003, hardly 2 1/2 months prior to the incident. At the time of marriage two

tolas of gold, some utensils and an amount of Rs.50,000/- by way of dowry was

given to the Appellant. As per the case of the prosecution, the Appellant and the

victim had a smooth married life just for one month, but thereafter a demand of

Rs.1 lac was made by the Appellant and the said demand of Rs.1 lac could not be

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fulfilled by the father P.W.-1 of the victim or her relatives. Deceased Renuka had

complained to her father P.W.-1 and brother P.W.-6 about the demand of Rs.1 lac

made by her husband. Immediately, after the marriage, on the festival of

Gudipadwa, she had visited her maiden home and at that time she voiced about

the said demand. Thereafter telephonically she has communicated about the

harassment and assault at the hands of the Appellant, to her brother. On

26-4-2003, the victim’s father was informed on telephone about the death of his

daughter, therefore, he along with his relatives and some villagers rushed to the

house of his daughter where they found that she was burnt and was dead. P.W.1-

the father of the Victim lodged an FIR and the offence under Section 498A, 302

and 201 was registered at C.R. No.58 of 2003 at Barshi Police Station against the

Appellant. The police carried out the investigation. The postmortem was

performed and the cause of death was declared as Asphyxia due to throttling. In

the course of investigation, the police drew panchanamas on the same date and

the statements of the witnesses were recorded within the couple of days. Police

sent the articles to C.A. and obtained report. After completion of the investigation

the charge sheet was filed. This being a case of the murder, it was committed to

the Court of Session and charges under the relevant sections was framed

accordingly. The trial was conducted before the Sessions Judge and was

concluded in the conviction. Being aggrieved by this Judgment and Order the

present Appeal is filed by the Accused.

3 The Learned Counsel appearing for the Appellant has raised the

challenge mainly on the ground that there is no eye witness and the case is based

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only on circumstantial evidence and motive is also not established. The motive

brought on record by the prosecution is an after thought. How and in what

manner the victim has died is not proved by the prosecution and the Learned

Sessions Judge has erred in appreciating the evidence of witnesses on the point

of the incident. The evidence of the police witness P.W. 7, 8, 9 & 10 is

inconsistent and ought not to have been relied. The learned Counsel argued that

the prosecution has brought a very weak evidence on the point of motive that

there was a demand of Rs.1 lac by the Appellant-Accused and the victim has

complained about the said demand and the harassment including assault at the

hands of the Accused, to her family members i.e. P.W 1 her father and P.W.6 her

brother. He has submitted that in a short span of their married life i.e 2 1/2

months, they had smooth married life for a month and as per the prosecution,

thereafter the demand was made. Thus, the period of harassment and demand

was very short i.e. hardly a month and it appears improbable. He further pointed

out that in the evidence of P.W.6, he had stated that a phone call was made by the

victim in the house of PW-3 who was their neighbour. At that time according to

the prosecution the witness was informed that her husband has given her a threat

that if the amount of Rs.1 lac was not paid then there would be a serious

consequence. The Leaned Counsel submitted that if this would have been the

position, then it was natural on the part of the family members to lodge a

complaint and make inquiry about the said demand. However, no such complaint

of harassment and demand was made by the family members to the police

against the Appellant. The Learned Counsel pointed out that in the cross-

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examination of P.W.-1-father of the victim has given admission that he decided to

lodge a complaint against the Appellant only when he was informed about the

cause of death of his daughter was Asphyxia due to throttling. The Learned

Counsel argued on the background of the communication of harassment and

demand of Rs.1 lac. The appellant was a prime suspect and P.W.-1ought to have

been lodged complaint against the Appellant, as soon as they reached to the

house of the daughter. Why father P.W.-1 waited to lodge complaint till

postmortem report was known ? P.W.-3 at whose residence telephone call of the

victim about the harassment was received by P.W-6, did not say a word about

such telephone call and conversation between the victim and P.W.-6 and,

therefore, the story of the demand of Rs.1 lac and so also the communication in

respect of the harassment or assault at the hands of the Accused to the victim,

false and cooked up.

4 The authenticity of the FIR Exhibit-16 is challenged as P.W.-1 has

admitted that the contents of the FIR were narrated by the Sarpanch of the

Village and he merely signed the same. The learned Counsel further pointed out

that the postmortem report shows the timing as 2.00 p.m. and the FIR was

registered at 1.55 p.m., thus it is obvious the postmortem was performed before

the recording of the FIR. The Learned Counsel drew our attention to Exhibit-29

which is a statement/FIR given by the Appellant. The Learned Counsel submitted

that Exhibit-29 is so called FIR or statement of the Appellant is not recorded

honestly but it is false document fabricated by the investigating agency. These

submissions are based on the discrepancies in the evidence of P.W.-7, P.W.-9, and

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P.W.-10. He pointed out that scribe P.W.-7 in his chief had stated that he reduced

into writing the contents of Exhibit-29 and has signed below. However,

subsequently when he was recalled he admitted that he did not record

Exhibit-29. The Learned Counsel pointed out that the case of the prosecution in

respect of the time of the incident and how it had occurred is not proved as the

evidence of the police witnesses is inconsistent. He submitted that the timing of

the FIR and the statement of the Accused and who recorded which statement

could have been ascertained on the basis of the relevant entries in the station

diary. However, prosecution did not produce such entries in the station diary.

5

While assailing medical evidence Learned Counsel has submitted

that evidence of the Medical Officer i.e P.W.-2 is not accurate and cannot be

believed. The rough notes which is a primary documentary evidence, is

admittedly not produced before the Court. The Medical Officer has admitted that

histopathology is conducted to ascertain whether the fracture of the hyoid bone

is antemortem or postmortem and in the absence of histopathology the

prosecution could not prove that the fracture of hyoid bone was antemortem.

Moreover, while burning if the person inhales the smoke then the particles of the

carbon are also inhaled by the person and such particles are definitely found in

the trachea and larynx. It was necessary on the part of the Medical Officer -P.W.-2

to mention about presence or absence of soot particles in the postmortem

report. The Learned Counsel highlighting these deficiencies in the medical

evidence rendered by the prosecution submitted that the benefit of these

deficiencies is to be given to the Appellant, as the prosecution could not come

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with full proof case.

6 The Learned Counsel further on the point of scene of offence

panchanama Exhibit-23 argued that the colour of the walls of the kitchen which

was originally white was turned grey because of the smoke and the pieces of the

clothes of the victim were lying scattered in the room. The Learned Counsel

argued that if as per the case of the prosecution the victim would have been

throttled first and burnt subsequently, then she must have been burnt in lying

horizontal position and in that event the walls of the room would not have

become smoky and the pieces of her clothes would not have also seen scattered

in the room. The condition of the walls and the pieces of her clothes suggest that

victim must have been standing or her body posture must have been vertical

when she was on fire. The Learned Counsel argued that the medical evidence is

not concrete and credible and circumstances do not support to hold that the

fracture of the hyoid bone was antemortem. Circumstantial evidence produced by

the prosecution is not trust worthy. Therefore, finding of the Learned Sessions

Judge of convicting the Accused on the basis of this insufficient evidence is illegal

and deserves to be set aside. He further points out that conduct of the accused

cannot be given much importance when prosecution case is weak and unreliable.

The Supreme Court has laid down the guide lines on appreciation of evidence

and on this point the Learned Counsel placed reliance on Mulakraj & ors Vs.

State of Maharashtra reported in (1996) 7 Supreme Court Cases 308, and

Mula Devi & Anr Vs. State of Uttarakhand reported in (2008) 14 Supreme

Court Cases 511, wherein the manner in which the victim wife was died and the

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other facts in both the cases and the present case are more or less similar. In both

the cases, the cause of death of the victim was Asphyxia and thereafter the bodies

were burnt. On the point of appreciation of evidence a reliance was placed on

Judgment of Division Bench in Jagannath s/o Damaji Pol Vs. State of

Maharashtra reported in 2009 ALL MR (Cri) 2231.

7 Per contra, the Learned Prosecutor argued that while appreciating

the evidence of the prosecution, this Court needs to consider the date of the

marriage and the short span of the married life of the Appellant and the victim.

The Learned Counsel pointed out that the victim was residing with her husband

and she did not complained for one month and thereafter she complained about

the demand of Rs.1 lac. He point out that there was a demand of dowry of Rs.

50,000/- at the time of marriage. On the point of demand of dowry of Rs.

50,000/- and the terms and conditions of the settlement of the marriage, the

Learned Prosecutor relied on the evidence of P.W.-1 and P.W.-6 and so also P.W.-5

Haridas Kale, who happened to be a middle man at the time of marriage. The

Learned Prosecutor argued that the demand of dowry or money is never made

openly and no documentary evidence is possible and available to prove such

demand. On the basis of three witnesses the prosecution has proved that

monetary gain was the motive. The Learned Counsel argued that while

appreciating the medical evidence the injury sustained by the victim which are

mentioned in the postmortem exhibit-18 are also to be taken into account. He

drew our attention to the description of the injuries and observations of the

Medical Officer in respect of the said injuries. Non production of notes by the

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Medical officer could not be given weightage as the notes are produced only to

refresh the memory. He submitted that spot of the Panchanama Exhibit-23 reveals

that the stove and tube of the gas were melted when the victim was burnt. If it

would have been an accidental death and if the accused and other persons would

have come to rescue her to extinguish fire then melting or damage to the

property to such a high degree would not have been caused. He drew our

attention to the fact that the body had sustained 100% burn injuries. The

Learned prosecutor further submitted that two defence witnesses D.W.-1 Bhimrao

Nandvate and D.W.-2 – Muzafarali Akbarali Patel were examined. These

witnesses have stated that the fire brigade arrived and fire was extinguished.

Thus the water was inside the room and this must have led the clothes of the

victim into pieces; scattered in the room. He further pointed out that through

defence witnesses the accused has admitted his presence at the time of the

incident. He further argued that non production of station diary and recording of

Exhibit-29 i.e. statement of Appellant moreover non verification of the said

statement by higher officer, are the lapses in the investigation. However, these

lapses could not help the defence to dislodged the case of the prosecution which

is proved beyond the reasonable doubt.

8 Admittedly present case stands on the circumstantial evidence

wherein the medical evidence is a vital and decisive issue. The death of the

victim was an unnatural. It may be accidental, suicidal or homicidal. Nothing is

suggested that it could be suicidal. The victim was married to the appellant 2 ½

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months back and there was no reason to commit suicide. Prosecution labels it not

accidental but homicidal death mainly on the basis of medical evidence. The first

question needs to be answered whether the prosecution has proved that the

death was caused due to Asphyxia by throttling or it was a death due to burn

injuries. We went through the medical evidence of P.W.-2, postmortem notes

Exhibit-18, so also the assessment of medical evidence by the Learned Sessions

Judge especially on the point of Asphyxia and burn injuries. The material portion

in the postmortem notes Exhibit-18 clause 17, is as follows:

(a) Swelling in front of neck of size 6 x 4 cm

(b) 100% burns

(c) on examination of base of tongue bruising present

(d) on palpation fracture of hyoid bone present

Thus the injuries (a), (c) and (d) are mentioned as definitely

Antemortem and injury (b) 100% burns is postmortem. Histopathology was not

conducted. The Medical Officer has deposed that it being the rural hospital, the

facility/equipments which are required for histopathology were not available, but

the postmortem was performed by two Medical Officers who were strongly in

agreement that fracture of hyoid bone was antemortem, swelling to neck was

also Antemortem. Moreover the tongue was protruded in between the teeth.

About the mention of the soot particles in larynx and trachea, the Medical officer

has given admission that in the burn cases if the person inhales the smoke then

such carbon /soot particles are found in trachea and larynx. Therefore not

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mentioning the negative fact i.e. carbon particles not found in larynx and trachea

in the postmortem does not dilute the evidentary value of the postmortem report.

On the other hand, if the presence of soot particles would have been mentioned

in the postmortem report, then benefit could have been given to the Accused but

not in the other way. The evidence of Medical Officer is found credible. Defence

could not shake this evidence. We therefore, accept the finding given by the

Learned Judge that the cause of death was asphyxia due to throttling and

burning was not antemortem but postmortem. Thus medical evidence unerringly

lead us to a conclusion that the burn injuries were postmortem and victim had

fracture and the cause of her death was Asphyxia due to throttling. This medical

evidence is not dislodged by the defence. If the medical report is accepted then

we have to consider the entire evidence on that background.

9 On the point of motive, the prosecution has tendered evidence of

P.W.-1 and P.W.-6. As per the evidence of the witnesses there was a demand of

money by the Appellant since one moth prior to the death of the victim. We

accept the submissions of learner Prosecutor that such demand of Rs.1 lac made

by a husband to his wife and persuasion of the said made to the family members

of the wife, may not have any documentary but the oral evidence. In the present

case P.W.-1 has stated about it and this evidence is corroborated with the evidence

of P.W.-6 brother of the victim. The evidence of P.W.-5- Hardas Kale supports that

earlier there was a demand of dowry of Rs.50,000/-. The prosecution has proved

the motive that the monetary demand was a reason for assault or harassment.

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    10              After   killing   Renuka   the   culprit   wanted   to   burn   her   body 

undoubtedly in order to destroy the real cause of the death. We also take note

that the victim was burnt 100%. Panchanama Exhibit 21 reveals that her face,

chest and the entire body was completely burnt. It shows the act of burning was

going on for some period. 100% burn in very short period is not possible if stove

blasted in small house and somebody has rushed to extinguish the fire. The

incident has taken place in the house where the accused and the deceased were

residing as husband and wife since 2 ½ months. Burning was noticed at about

6.30 a.m when the incident takes place within the four walls of the house and

fire was extinguished by calling fire-brigade. In that event, the presence of any

other witness is not possible. It is not expected that any outsider to visit the

house in such early hours of the morning and can throw light on how the murder

has been committed. When the husband and wife are residing together in the

house and incident takes place in the odd hours and no other consistent fact is

introduced showing the absence of the husband, then we do not find any reason

to accept the case of the prosecution about the presence of the accused who is

the husband of the deceased. We have considered all three rulings produced

before us by the defence. Apparently the facts in Mulkhraj & Ors. (supra) and

Muladevi & Anr. (supra) look similar to the facts of the present case, however, on

careful reading we found that the facts of the present case are distinguishable

especially on the point of the presence of the accused on the spot. In all the three

cases, the victim was the wife of the respective accused. All of them died due to

asphyxia and medical evidence shows that the burning injuries found on their

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bodies were postmortem and not antemortem. In both the cases the Apex Court

held that the victims were murdered in the house and no information was given

by the husband to the relatives of the victims. Yet the Supreme Court while

appreciating the evidence on the conduct of the accused in Mulakraj case (supra)

in paragraph 21 has observed as follows:

“Consequently the aforesaid subsequent conduct on
which strong reliance has been placed by the High
Court to bring home the offence to the accused cannot
really assist the prosecution and it does not represent
a strong and clinching link in the chain of

circumstantial evidence which is incompatible with
any other hypothesis save and except the guilt of the
accused.”

While setting aside the Judgment of conviction of the trial court

and High Court, the Supreme Court in Muladevi’s case (supra) in paragraph 12

has held as follows:

“It has been consistently laid down by this Court that

where a case rests squarely on circumstantial
evidence, the inference of guilt can be justified only
when all the incriminating facts and circumstances
are found to be incompatible with the innocence of
the accused or the guilt of any other person”

In the said Judgment the guide lines in Padala Veera Reddy Vs.

State of A.P reported in 1989 Supp(2) SCC 706 which are reproduced in

paragraph 11 as follows:

(1) The circumstances from which an inference of
guilt is sought to be drawn, must be cogently and

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firmly established;

(2) those circumstances should be of a definite
tendency unerringly pointing towards guilt of the

accused;

(3) the circumstances, taken cumulatively, should
form a chain so complete that there is no escape from

the conclusion that within all human probability the
crime was committed by the accused and none else;
and
(4) the circumstantial evidence in order to sustain

conviction must be complete and incapable of
explanation of any other hypothesis than that of the
guilt of the accused and such evidence should not
only be consistent with the guilt of the accused but
should be inconsistent with his innocence.”

Keeping in mind the settled law on the point of appreciation of

circumstantial evidence, we considered the entire evidence and the facts of the

present case. In the present case, no other person except accused and the victim

were in the house. It was a small house of two rooms. Unlike facts in Mulakraj

case(supra) no defence of alibi was taken by the Accused when incident has

taken place. The presence of Accused is denied by the defence, however in the

evidence of D.W.-2 he has specifically stated that when he reached to the spot in

the morning he saw the victim has burnt and the Accused and other persons

were trying to extinguish the fire. Thereafter fire brigade came and extinguished

the fire by watering it.

11 It is necessary to construct the sequence of all the incidents. On

26-4-2003 in the morning a phone call was received by the family members and

they rush to the spot. The panchnama Exhibit-21 was drawn at about 11.00a.m.


    to   11.30   a.m.   P.W.-3   is   a   panch   for   inquest   panchanama.   Though   she     is 




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considered as interested witness yet the inquest panchanama, nothing can be

disputed in respect of inquest panchanama as the burnt body of the victim was

found. From the evidence of the prosecution, it shows that the incident has taken

place in the morning between 6.30 a.m. to 7.00 a.m, then the question comes in

mind that if the incident has taken place at 6.30 a.m. and thereafter the fire

brigade had come to extinguish the fire immediately, her body was lying in the

house as it is from morning till 11.00 a.m. The Appellant-accused at the relevant

time was residing in the said house along with the victim and they being a

husband and wife, we can not be oblivious to the relevant facts pointed out about

the conduct of the Accused as per section 8 of the Evidence Act. On Exhibit 29 no

verification of Senior officer is found as it is seen on Exhibit 16. In the light of

contradictory evidence of police personnel as regards recording of Exhibit 29,

submissions of the Learned Defence Counsel that Exhibit 29 is fabricated

document and the said statement of Appellant is false and manufactured are

accepted. Thus even the evidence to that point if discarded, it will at the most

prove that the Appellant-Accused did not go to the police station on that date to

give report in respect of burning of his wife in the house. However, not going to

the police or not approaching to the hospital for medical aid are the facts which

definitely go against the Accused. The prosecution has to prove its case on its

own merits and the falsity in the defence can not be substituted to plug off the

holes in the case of the prosecution. On this point we considered the land mark

ruling of Sharad Birdhichand Sarda Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in

(1984) 4 SCC 116. While answering questions put to the Accused under Section

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313 of Cr.P.C. the Accused is supposed to unfold his defence. He has right to be

silent throughout and his silence cannot be taken as an incriminating

circumstance against him generally. However, if he chooses to answer the

questions and his answer is found totally false or his answer amounts to a fact

inconsistent with his plea of innocence but consistent with the case of the

prosecution, due weightage is to be given to the defence especially when the

crime is committed in the four walls and where one spouse is victim and other is

on the seat of the accused. It is impossible for the prosecution in such situation to

break a wall of secrecy without relying on the defence of the accused. Criminal

law cannot turn nelson’s eye to the ground realities which is a genuine hurdle to

prove the complete chain of circumstances. While explaining the appreciation of

evidence under Section 313 of Cr.P.C. the Apex Court in the case of Mannu Sao

Vs. State of Bihar reported in JT 2010(8) SC 449 has in paragraph 8 held as

follows:

“Let us examine the essential features of this Section
313 Cr.P.C. and the principles of law as enunciated by
judgments, which are the guiding factors for proper
application and consequences which shall flow from

the provisions of Section 313 of the Code. As already
noticed, the object of recording the statement of the
accused under Section 313 of the Code is to put all
incriminating evidence against the accused so as to
provide him an opportunity to explain such

incriminating circumstances appearing against him in
the evidence of the prosecution. At the same time also
to permit him to put forward his own version or
reasons if he so chooses in relation to his involvement
or otherwise in the crime. The Court has been
empowered to examine the accused but only after the
prosecution evidence has been concluded.”

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    12              Learned Counsel for the appellant has denied the presence of the 

accused at the spot, however the presence of the Accused is brought on record

through D.W.-2, rather the evidence of D.W.-2 is a boomerang and so we have to

accept the case of the Prosecution that at the time of the incident the Appellant-

Accused was present in the house. If the Appellant was present then it was very

natural for the Appellant to come forward to rescue his wife and to extinguish

the fire or to call the doctor or police. However, it appears that nothing as such

was done by the Accused. We reiterate that Appellant and the victim were newly

married couple. If the evidence of D.W-2 is accepted that accused was trying to

extinguish the fire, then it was natural for Accused to sustain some burn injuries

to his hands when the victim was burnt 100%. In the arrest panchanama

Exhibit-31 P.W.-2 disclosed that no burn injuries were found on the hands of the

accused and these circumstances are definitely incriminatory circumstances. The

points which are argued by the Learned Counsel in respect of lapses in the

investigation i.e. non production of station diary, the evidence of P.W.-7, 8, 9 and

10 cannot be considered as mitigating circumstances. Further, the submissions of

the Learned Counsel that there was no complaint of torture /harassment or

demand of Rs.1 lac by the family members of the victim and therefore, the fact of

motive cannot be proved are also not convincing so also the admission given by

P.W.-1 that when he heard about the cause of death as Asphyxia due to throttling

then the decision to lodge a complaint against the Appellant is not a reason to

disbelieve the motive. We do accept that Exhibit-16 which is an FIR, is not an FIR

in true sense. That investigation has started prior to the lodging of the FIR and

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therefore, Exhibit-16 is not the FIR recorded under Section 154 of Cr.P.C., but it is

only a statement recorded under Section 161 of Cr.P.C. and, therefore, we do not

want to look into that statement for corroboration. In the absence of this FIR

further the investigation which was carried out by the police does not loose the

value and, therefore even though the contents of the FIR could have been

narrated by Sarpanch of the Village, we do not give any weightage to that

particular document. We believe substantiate evidence of P.W.-1. It was very

natural for the family members of victim to discuss amongst themselves about the

occurrence and the cause of death of daughter who got married only 2 ½ months

back. It was a great shock and definitely we do consider the condition of a father

who has to recover from the trauma and then he approached the police and

therefore, we do not agree that there was any material delay in giving complaint

against the Accused.

12 On the basis of evidence we find that the chain of circumstantial

evidence is consistent and complete to hold the accused guilty of the offence of

the murder of his wife. We conclude that the prosecution has proved the case

against the Appellant and there is no case on merit and the Judgment and Order

passed by the Learned Sessions judge is hereby confirmed. Appeal is dismissed.

    (Mrs. MRIDULA R. BHATKAR, J.)                                  (NARESH H. PATIL, J.)




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