O R D E R

1. The present appeal arises from the judgment and order dated 1st December 2016 passed by the High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, in Criminal Appeal No.2658 of 2012, whereby the acquittal of the appellant-accused recorded by the learned Sessions Judge, Bagalkot (in S.C. No.5 of 2011) was reversed. The High Court convicted the appellant of the offence punishable under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentenced him to undergo life imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs.10,000/-, with a default stipulation of three months’ simple imprisonment.

Signature Not Verified Digitally signed by NEETU KHAJURIA Date: 2025.03.03 Reason:

2. Briefly stated, the prosecution case is that the deceased, wife of the appellant, had been married to him for about one year prior to the incident. Two months before the fateful day, she is said to have left her matrimonial home on account of alleged ill-treatment and assault by the appellant. She took shelter in her parental house in Sonna village (Bagalkot District). Despite requests from the appellant and his relatives to take her back, the complainant (PW-1), who is the father of the deceased, did not agree, allegedly because of the