1. A.1 Venkatesan and A.2 Kumar @ Sivakumar were prosecuted in S.C.No.314 of 2002, before the learned Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court No.II), Tirunelveli, for conspiracy under Section 120-B IPC, for raping one Lakshmi under Section 376 IPC, for killing her under Section 302 r/w. 34 IPC, for stealing her properties under Section 379 IPC, for criminally intimidated her under Section 506 (i) IPC and for causing disappearance of evidence under Section 201 IPC.

2. They were acquitted from the charges under Sections 120 B, 376 and 506 (i) IPC.

3. They were found guilty and sentenced as under:-

4. After judgment, A.2 had passed away. Now, A.1 appealed against the said judgment.

5. The case of the prosecution as set out in the prosecution evidence in the trial Court may briefly be stated as under:-

(i). Lakshmi @ Nalini is daughter of P.Ws.1 and 8 Chinnaiya and Chellam. P.W.1's brother is Narayanasamy and Lakshmi's brother is P.W.7 Shanmugababu. They are residing in Malligai Nagar in Seranmahadevi in Tirunelveli District. Lakshmi is an LIC agent. She is unmarried. She used to leave the house around 9 a.m., and return by 6 p.m.

(ii). On 1.8.2001, at about 8.30 a.m