Judgment

Dipak Misra, J.

The present appeal is directed against the judgment and order dated 7.09.2009 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh in Criminal Appeal No. 770-DB of 2006, whereby the Division Bench has confirmed the judgment of conviction and order of sentence passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Sirsa in Sessions Case No. 357 of 2003 convicting the present appellant for the offences punishable under Sections 302 and Section 201 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentencing him to suffer rigorous imprisonment for life and payment of fine of Rs. 5000/- under Section 302 and rigorous imprisonment of three years and fine of Rs. 1000/- under Section 201 read with Section 34 IPC with default clause for the fine amount in respect of both the offences with the stipulation that both the sentences would be concurrent.

2. Bereft of unnecessary details, the prosecution case, as has been unfurled is that on 18.1.2003 about 6.30 p.m., Het Ram, the deceased, had left his home with the accused-appellant and did not return till the morning of 19.1.2003. The family members of the deceased searched for him at various places and made enquiries fr