JUDGMENT :

C. PRAVEEN KUMAR, J.

1. Originally Accused Nos. 1 and A2 in Sessions Case No. 306 of 2010, on the file of the VI Additional Sessions Judge, Kakinada, were tried for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 379, 203, 102B read with 34 of Indian Penal Code (I.P.C.). By its Judgment, dated 27.10.2015, the learned Sessions Judge, acquitted A2 of all the charges, but, however, convicted A1 for the offence punishable under Section 302 I.P.C. and sentenced him to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs. 500/-. Further, he was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of one (01) year for the offence punishable under Section 203 I.P.C. The substantive sentences were directed to run concurrently.

2. The substance of the charges against the accused is that, on 01.10.2009, both the accused conspired together and committed murder of one Ulisi Veera Sandhya Rani - wife of A1 (Deceased) by squeezing her neck with a towel and, thereafter, both of them committed theft of her jewellery.

3. The facts, as culled out, from the evidence of prosecution witnesses are as under:

(i) PW-1 is the mother of the deceased, while PW-2 is the son of PW-1. PW-3, a resident of the