JUDGMENT :

RAMESH SINHA, C.J.

1. Appellant- Dinesh Taram has preferred this criminal appeal under Section 374(2) of the CrPC questioning the impugned judgment dated 26.10.2023 passed by the Sessions Judge, South Bastar, Dantewada (C.G.) in Sessions Trial No. 144 of 2019, by which he has been convicted for offence under Section 302 of the IPC and sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life and fine of Rs.500/-, in default payment of fine to further undergo RI for two months.

2. Case of the prosecution, in nutshell, is that on 12.04.2019 at about 7.30 am the appellant assaulted his wife Sadhna Bhaskar with the help of pickaxe (Kudal) due to which she died. It is further case of the prosecution that the accused and deceased Sadhna Bhaskar has performed love marriage about 8 years ago from the date of incident and the accused always had suspicion about the character of his wife Sadhana Bhaskar which the deceased had informed to her brother Dushyant Bhaskar. On 12.04.2019, the accused/appellant called Dushyant Bhaskar on his mobile phone that his wife Sadhana Bhaskar was having love affair with some other person and for the said reason he has killed his wife using pickaxe. Upon receiving th