JUDGMENT :

G. Chandrasekharan, J.

The prosecution agency laid a final report against the appellant/accused under Section 498-A and 304-B IPC and Section 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act, alleging that the appellant committed cruelty on his wife deceased Krishnaveni, demanded cash and jewellery for starting poultry farm. Not only that he was addicted to drinking, not regularly going for work and harassing his wife to get money from her parents, by physically assaulting her. Unable to bear the cruelty committed on her, the demand of dowry, the deceased committed suicide by hanging on 27.10.2011.

2. The case of the prosecution, as discerned from the evidence of prosecution witnesses, in brief, is as follows:-

The marriage between the appellant and the deceased Krishnaveni was solemnised in 2005. They have son and daughter. PW.1 is the father, PW.2 is the brother of the deceased. After marriage, the appellant worked in abroad for two years, thereafter he was not regularly employed. The deceased was working in Chintamani Medical Stores' at Erode, later transferred to Bhavani Branch. The appellant sold the jewels given to the deceased and children and spent the money. He also pledged the gold chai