Judgment

P.P. NAOLEKAR, J.-

The accused-appellant was convicted by the Sessions Court under Section 302 IPC to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs 1000 and in default to undergo RI for a period of three months. He was further found guilty of charge under Section 449 IPC and sentenced to undergo imprisonment for ten years and to pay a fine of Rs 1000, in default to undergo RI for a period of three months. The sentence imposed on the appellant was confirmed by the High Court. Aggrieved by the said order of conviction, the present appeal is preferred by the accused appellant.

2. The relevant facts from the evidence of the prosecution are that Pushpa (the deceased), her brother Selvaraj (PW 3) and Radha (PW 2 wife of PW 3), were residing at Bagalur in a rented house. On 15-1-1998 at about 5.00 p.m., when PW 2 was returning from sandal (market), she heard hue and cry from her house and when she rushed towards the house, she saw the accused I Ravikumar alias Kutti Ravi running away from her residence. She saw that the deceased came out of their house in flames. She raised alarm and several neighbours came to the spot and put off the fire with the help of a blanket. The dec