Summary: In a tragic turn of events in Villupuram, a man named Mani lost his life due to an illegal electric fence. The court upheld the conviction of Rajendran and Jeyakumar, the accused, for their involvement in the incident. Here's a breakdown of the case and the court's decision.
On February 6, 2014, Mani went to water his crops early in the morning. Sadly, he was electrocuted by a fence illegally electrified by Rajendran and Jeyakumar. The electricity was taken from a pump on Jeyakumar's land. Mani's wife discovered the tragedy when she was informed by a villager the next morning.
"The deceased died due to electrocution, since Rajendran erected an iron fencing giving electric connection from the pump set belonged to Jeyakumar."
The case was registered on February 7, 2014, at the Sathiyamangalam Police Station. The investigation revealed that the fence was electrified to prevent cattle from entering the land. The trial court found both Rajendran and Jeyakumar guilty of causing death by negligence and under laws protecting Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
The defense argued that the prosecution's case relied solely on indirect evidence. They claimed that the electric connection belonged to someone else and questioned the lack of direct evidence linking the accused to the crime.
"The circumstantial evidence is not pointing only to the circumstances that Rajendran and Jeyakumar alone are guilty of the alleged offences."
The court, led by Justice P. Velmurugan and Justice M. Jothiraman, dismissed the appeal. They emphasized that the indirect evidence was strong enough to uphold the conviction. The judges noted that the defense failed to provide any alternative explanation for the incriminating evidence.
"The appellants illegally took electric connection and connected the same to the wire fencing put up on Rajendran’s land."
The court sentenced both Rajendran and Jeyakumar to rigorous imprisonment and fines. This case serves as a reminder of the dangers of illegal activities and the importance of following safety rules to prevent such tragedies.
