JUDGMENT :

The appellant, who is the sole accused in SC No.202/2012 on the file of the I Addl. District and Sessions Judge, Mandya, has challenged the judgment of conviction and sentence dated 28.10.2013. The learned Sessions Judge has convicted the appellant for the offence punishable under section 302 of IPC and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.5,000/-.

2. The brief factual matrix of the case is that:

A person by name Puttaswamy shetty father of deceased Mala, lodged a report before Shivalli Police as per Ex.P-11. It is alleged in the report that the said Mala was given in marriage to the accused Manju @ Manjunatha on 3.3.2006. After the marriage, the said Mala and Manju were residing together along with the mother and brother of the accused at Gorawale village. Subsequently, about one year prior to the incident, Mala and her husband were residing separately along with their two children in the house of one Hanumanthu S/o. Kalegowda in a tile roofed house. It is further stated that on 12.5.2012, when the 3rd son of the complainant, had been to Palahalli village, S.R. Patna Taluk to attend marriage of their relative the accused and deceased were