i. The appellant is the husband of the deceased Valarmathi (Hereinafter referred to as D.1) The appellant and D.1 had two children, one male and a female.(hereinafter referred to as D.2 and D.3.) The marriage between the appellant and D.1 was celebrated six years prior to the death of D.1. P.W.1 is the mother and P.W.2 is the father of D.1. At the time of marriage between the appellant and D.1, 8 sovereigns of gold jewels were presented by her parents as 'Seervarisai'. Four years after the marriage, again four sovereigns of gold jewels were presented besides a sum of Rs.3,000/-. Thereafter, the accused started harassing D.1. One month prior to the death of D.1, P.W.1 had gone to the house of D.1 and stayed with her. One day prior to the date of occurrence, there arose a domestic quarrel between D.1 and the appellant, in which it is alleged that the appellant fisted D.1 on her face twice and on her cheek. It is further alleged that at that time, the appellant told that he could be in peace only if she died. After the said quarrel, P.W.1 returned to her native place to inform P.W.2. Thereafter, P.W.2 contacted D.1 over phone, to whom, according to P.W.2, D.1 told that she was in troubles. Thereafter, on the same day, D.1 set fire to D.2 andD.3 and to herself. All the three died on 03.09.2003 between 9.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. P.W.4, and 7 are the neighbors of the deceased. On seeking smoke coming out of the house, P.W.7 rushed to the house of the deceased followed by P.W.4. They both saw D.1 to D.3 in charred condition. They were dead. On information by them, P.Ws 1 and 2 rushed to the village and after knowing the incident, P.W.1 proceeded to the Police Station and preferred a complaint to P.W.12 at 1.00 p.m at 03.09.2003.
