JUDGMENT :

1. Heard Sri Pradeep Kumar Shukla, learned counsel for the appellant and Sri Jugal Kishore, learned AGA for the State.

2. This criminal appeal has been filed by the appellant-Pawan Sut @ Ram Sukh Tiwari challenging the order of conviction and sentence dated 24.04.2003 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge/FTC III, Sultanpur in ST No. 37 of 2021 whereby the appellant has been convicted under section 306 IPC and sentenced to undergo imprisonment of 8 years and a fine of Rs. 5,000/-and further 6 months in default of fine.

3. A number of legal and factual points have been raised by the appellant which shall be dealt with at appropriate stages in the body of the judgment.

4. Relevant facts in nutshell are as below:-

(i) The informant Satya Narayan Tiwari gave a written report before the police station concerned with the allegations that his sister-Meera Devi was married to Pawan Sut @ Ram Sukh Tiwari; Pawan Sut @ Ram Sukh (the accused), Ram Das, Gurprasad, Sri Chand set her ablaze at about 9.00 pm on 26.09.2000; it is alleged in the FIR that her husband was selling of all his property gradually and he used to ask his sister that he should have brought at least Rs. 10,000/-per mo