JUDGMENT - M.S. VAIDYA, J.:---The learned Additional Sessions Judge, Nasik had convicted the present appellant, in Sessions Case No. 17 of 1988 on his file, of an offence punishable under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and had sentenced him to suffer imprisonment for life.

2. The prosecution story as it emerges from the record is as follows :

The appellant is alleged to have murdered, on 21st December, 1987 at about 10 p.m. his wife's brother Ramdas Santu Pawar in front of the residences of both of them at village Lingame, Taluka, Kalwan, District Nasik. Santu was the father of deceased Ramdas and several years ago, when Ramdas was a minor and Santu was ailing of some ailment, Santu had brought to his house the accused as anillatom son-in-law to look after Santu's agricultural property at Lingame. In course of time, the daughter of Santu, that is the elder sister of deceased Ramdas, was married to the appellant. About 9 or 10 years before the incident of offence, Santu had died. Till then, and for a few years after the death of Santu, the lands of the family of Santu were being cultivated jointly by the appellant and deceased Ramdas. Thereafter, they had separated and a separa

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