JUDGMENT :

This appeal has been filed by Ranjit Singh challenging his conviction and sentence under Section 302 of the IPC for having committed the murder of his wife on 1st September 1990 in the area of village Sandhwan, District Faridkot.

2. As per the prosecution story Gurtej Singh-PW.10 of village Sandhwan found the dead body of Gurmail Kaur lying in the house of the appellant on the 1st September 1990. None of the family members of the appellant were present in the house at that time but an electric wire was lying near the dead body. Gurtej Singh-PW. thereafter informed PW.3-Harjinder Singh the brother of the deceased, who rushed to village Sandhwan accompanied by his son Mohan Singh and Sarpanch Harbhajan Singh. They found the dead body lying in the house. The matter was reported by Harjinder Singh to the Police Station at 5.30 a.m. on the 2nd September, 1990. ASI-Sant Parkash (PW.14) thereafter reached the house of the appellant in village Sandhwan. He recorded the inquest proceedings and sent the dead body for its post-mortem examination. He also picked up an electric wire 15 feet in length from the spot. The post-mortem examination conducted on the 2nd September at 1.45 by D