Oral Judgment: (P.D. Kode, J.)

The appellant-original accused No.1 in S.C.No.16 of 2005 assails the judgment and order dated 7th August, 2007 passed by the learned Addl. Sessions Judge, Gadhinglaj, convicting him for murdering wife Manisha on 18th November, 2004 and sentencing to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.5,000/-and in default of payment of fine, to suffer further rigorous imprisonment for six months. Shivram-original accused No.2 and Laxmibai-original accused No.3, i.e. parents of the appellant also tried alongwith the appellant at the trial, were acquitted from the charge of all of them in furtherance of their common intention having committed murder of Manisha.

2. According to the prosecution, the appellant and Manisha since their marriage effected on 27th May, 2003 were residing at the house of the parents of the appellant, viz. acquitted accused Nos.2 and 3 in the fields at village Basarge. The appellant then was working as a Pigmi Agent for Noukud Credit Society. About 2-3 months prior to the incident in question, the appellant came to Mumbai for job and was working at Mumbai.

2.1. The original accused No.2 Shivram, father-in-law of Mani