JUDGMENT :

Sujit Narayan Prasad, J.

1. The instant appeal, under Section 374 (2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, has been preferred against the Judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 07.08.2018 passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge-XII, Hazaribag, in Sessions Trial No. 346 of 2014, whereby and whereunder, the appellant has been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life alongwith fine of Rs.50,000/- and in default of payment of fine, has been further directed to undergo simple imprisonment for one year.

2. The prosecution story in brief as per the allegation made in the Fard Beyan by one Banshi Mehta, the informant, read as under:

It is alleged that on 17.04.14 after casting his vote, he came back to his house along with Devtati @ Devanand Tati (deceased) at 14:00 hrs. At about 11:00 p.m., Dulla Rama came and informed that Devtat Munshi was murdered by knife. On this he went to the owner Mundrika Mehta and informed about the incident. They went to see and saw wound on chest and cheek of left side was cut and blood was oozing and found dead. On that place Vijay Indwar @ Wangra was seen moving around on suspicion condition. When people started gathering, on