P.K.Deb, J.

1. The appellant is an I.A.S. officer, who has been tried for a charge under Sec. 302/201 I.P.C. for intentionally committing murder of his wife, Joyes Kujur and then of screening himself from the legal punishment by setting fire the dead body to show that he had caught fire accidentally and died of burn injury.

2. The prosecution story in brief is that on 175-1990 at 1 a.m., the accused who was then posted at Ranchi walked from his residence and rushed to Lalpur Police Station and lodged a written report (Ext. 4) stating inter alia that his wife Joyes Kujur died of burn injuries at 11 p.m. in the last night i.e. 16-5-1990. As per the report, on that date in the evening, the deceased Joyes Kujur went to her mothers residence at Morhabadi and returned home at about 9 p.m. She then went to kitchen to prepare food, for herself and the informant. The husband and wife alone were living in a rented house. The food was ready at 10.30 p.m. As desired by the accused when Joyes Kujur went to the kitchen to bring food for service to the accused then suddenly she caught fire and then came out with screams. There was no supply of electricity at that time. The informant tried