The appellant is the accused and the respondent is the complainant. The appellant has preferred this appeal as against the Judgment of conviction and sentence passed by the learned Ist Additional Sessions Judge at Madurai in Sessions Case No. 155 of 1989 on 1989

2. The prosecution case, as briefly stated, is as follows :-

The deceased Santhi is the wife of the Appellant/Accused by name Thangapandian. They were married seven years prior to the occurrence which took place on 23-5-1988. They were living at Melur and they had children. The deceased Santhi also underwent birth control operation. The Appellant/Accused was a dealer in aluminium vessels at Melur. The aunt of Santhi by name Easwari was also staying with them and she was helping Santhi in her domestic matters. On 23-5-1988 at about 9 a.m. the neighbours of the accused viz., PW 4, Mariammal, PW 5 Chellammal and PW 6 Panchavarnam found the deceased Santhi hanging inside her house and with the help of others, who gathered there, the deceased Santhi was taken to the hospital, and she was brought back to her house as she was found dead at the hospital. Her parents PW 1 Sudalaimuthu and PW 3 Kunjammal were living in anot