Principal District Judge N Sathish, in his judgement yesterday, also levied a fine of Rs 7,000 on Ramasamy of Namakkalpalayam for destroying evidence by burning the body, prosecution sources said.
There was property dispute between Ramasamy and his 38-year-old daughter-in-law Selvi after the death of his only son some five years ago. He was also keeping with him the nine-year-old granddaughter.
Following a quarrel with the victim on May 14, 2012, Ramasamy hacked her to death and took the body to a nearby place where he cut it into pieces and set them on fire.