HC upholds life term to murder convict

: Relying on the evidence of two minor children, a Division Bench of Madras High Court has upheld the life term awarded by a lower court to a man who murdered his wife, suspecting her fidelity.
The Division Bench, comprising Justices S Rajeswaran and T Mathivanan upheld the Kanyakumari sessions court order of September 21, 2010, saying the depositions of the two children, aged 11 and nine years respectively, should not be brushed aside, as it was clear, unambiguous and cogent.
Goerge Arul had murdered his wife Pushpalatha on April 6, 2009 at their home. The children who woke up from sleep on hearing screams of their mother had narrated the sequence of events before the sessions court, which led the accused getting life sentence.

"There is no prohibitory provision preventing courts from accepting the evidence of a child. If evidence adduced by a child is free from moonshine or shadow of doubt, the court can very well place trust upon such evidence to maintain conviction," the judges observed.