High Court of Judicature at Bombay (Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction), Criminal Appeal No. 724 of 2024 with Interim Application No. 3159 of 2024; CORAM Sarang V. Kotwal & Sandesh D. Patil, JJ.; judgment per Sarang V. Kotwal, J.; decided 23 February 2026. Appeal DISMISSED, upholding the conviction and sentences imposed by the Additional Session Judge-2, Kalyan (Sessions Case No. 195 of 2013; Judgment and Order dated 11/10/2023) on Pramod Pandurang Kisale, sole accused: S.302 IPC — rigorous imprisonment for life + fine Rs.25,000/-; S.307 IPC — 10 years RI + fine Rs.25,000/-; S.452 IPC — 7 years RI + fine Rs.10,000/-; S.201 IPC — 3 years RI + fine Rs.5,000/-; sentences concurrent except default fines; set off under S.428 CrPC; acquitted under S.498-A IPC (unchallenged); Rs.50,000/- of the recovered fine payable to the mother of the deceased. Facts: the Appellant, married to Bharti @ Pramila amid marital discord, went on 20/04/2013 at about 9:00–9:30 p.m. to the house where his wife was staying with her brother Padmakar Nipurte, stabbed Padmakar fatally with a knife and stabbed her nephew Mahesh Sudam Jadhav (PW-2) in the abdomen; F.I.R. C.R. No.I-66 of 2013 lodged at Shahapur Police Station the same night at 11:30 p.m.; Appellant arrested 21/04/2013; knife and partially burnt pant recovered at his instance. Holdings: (i) the immediate F.I.R. left no scope for concocting a false story; (ii) PW-1's deposition, consistent with his F.I.R.-police statement, placed the Appellant running away from the spot; (iii) injured eye-witness PW-2 held reliable — a natural witness of the same house, himself injured while trying to save the deceased — and non-examination of the women present does not affect the Prosecution's case; (iv) absence of any prior complaint does not mean the incident had not taken place; (v) the knife and burnt pant bearing blood group 'A' (the injured PW-2's group) are an incriminating corroborative circumstance; (vi) the alibi (presence at Shedgaon, a phone number tendered without supporting records) was not proved even to the standard of probability; (vii) notwithstanding the S.498-A acquittal, the murder and the attempt to murder PW-2 are sufficiently proved. No reason to interfere with the well reasoned trial judgment; the Criminal Appeal was dismissed and the connected Interim Application disposed of.
