BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated: 03.03.2026 CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.ANAND VENKATESH and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.DHANABAL Crl.A.(MD) No.344 of 2023 Ponnusamy ... Appellant -vs-

The Inspector of Police Karuppayurani Police Station Madurai District Crime No.306 of 2014 ...Respondent Criminal appeal filed under Section 374(2) of Cr.P.C., to call for the records and set aside the judgment and conviction dated 21.02.2023 by the learned V Additional Sessions Judge, Madurai in S.C.No.339 of 2016 and acquit the appellant.

For Appellant : Mr.G.Karuppasamy Pandian For Respondent : Mr.E.Antony Sahaya Prabahar Additional Public Prosecutor

J U D G M E N T

P.DHANABAL , J. , Challenging the conviction and sentence rendered by the learned V Additional Sessions Judge, Madurai in S.C.No.339 of 2016 dated 21.02.2023, the present criminal appeal has been filed by the appellant.

2.. The trial Court has convicted the appellant as follows:

326 of IPC 10 years rigorous Rs.5,000/-i/d to under imprisonment go three month simple imprisonment

3.1. The case of the prosecution is that there was dispute between the deceased Muthuraj and his wife Athilakshmi. While so, the deceased appr