JUDGMENT :

P.B.Suresh Kumar, J.

The sole accused in S.C.No.453 of 2015 on the files of the Court of the Additional Sessions Judge-III, Thodupuzha, is the appellant. He stands convicted and sentenced for having committed the murder of one Ponnamma.

2. A temple was under the ownership of Ponnamma and she was also the priestess of the said temple. Ponnamma, though married, was widowed and thereafter, was residing in the house adjoining the temple premises. The appellant was a person who provided assistance to Ponnamma in the temple and he was also residing in the same house. On 24.08.2011, Mohanan, one of the brothers of Ponnamma informed Nedumkandam police that Ponnamma is lying dead in the bedroom of her house with some injuries on her body. A case was registered based on the said information and the investigation in the case revealed that at about 4.00 p.m. on 23.08.2011, when Ponnamma collapsed in her house on account of some ailment, the appellant smothered her to death using a folded saffron coloured dhoti. Final report was accordingly filed in the case.

3. On the appellant being committed to trial after his arrest, the Court of Session framed charge against him under Section 302