JUDGMENT :

S.K. PANIGRAHI, J.

1. The present appeal has been directed against the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 08.07.2010 passed by the learned Ad-hoc Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court), Balangir at Patnagarh in Sessions Case No. 80/33 of 2009, whereby the appellant has been convicted for commission of offences punishable under Sections 302/201 of the I.P.C. and sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000/- and in default further to undergo R.I. for a period of six months under Section 302 of I.P.C. and to undergo R.I. for two years and to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000/-. Upon further default, to undergo R.I. for three months under Section 201 of the I.P.C.

2. Shorn of unnecessary details, the substratum of the matter presented before us remain that one Rama Dharua’s (informant) niece Ghulikhai @ Nidra Majhi was staying with him after the death of her mother for the last eight years. On 01.12.2008, the family had dinner and retired to bed. Early in the morning, to the utter dismay of the family, they found that their niece was missing. They searched in the village and inquired with their relatives, but failed to trace the whereab