S. RAVINDRA BHAT, J.:— (OPEN COURT)

1. This appeal challenges the judgment dated 18.8.2011 and order on sentence dated 25.8.2011 whereby the learned ASJ (Karkardooma Courts) convicted the appellant, Raja Ram for the offence under section 302, IPC, and sentenced him to undergo life imprisonment, and imposed a fine of Rs,7000/-. It was further added that in case of default of payment of fine, he shall suffer additional imprisonment for one year.

2. The prosecution case was that on 17.06.2009 at about 11.00 am, a quarrel took place between Mamta, the deceased and her husband Raja Ram, the appellant herein, over household expenses and excessive consumption of liquor by the latter. Raja dragged his wife to the gali (street) and slapped her. She stayed out for about an hour, and upon feeling giddy, she went inside the house and slept. Thereafter, she again demanded money from her husband for household expenses. This time he leveled allegations that she had been giving his hard earned money to her parents. When she objected to these allegations, he poured kerosene oil from a lantern on her body, and lit her on fire with a matchstick. However, when he saw people from the locality