gave unimpeachable evidence proving the various steps taken by him for collection of evidence during investigation so as to link the accused appellant with murder of Usha. The fact that the accused appellant was present with Usha on the night preceding the murder is firmly established from the deposition of Ashok Kumar Pathak. He went absconding after the murder and could not be traced out for almost 3010 years which is also a strong circumstance pointing towards his guilty state of mind. 46. The circumstances leading to murder of Usha were in the exclusive knowledge of the appellant. He has offered no explanation as to the manner in which Usha was strangled to death within the confines of the room where only he and the deceased were present. The bald plea of denial offered by the accused by way of an explanation to this gravely incriminating circumstance is not sufficient to absolve him of the burden cast upon him by virtue of Section 106 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. 47. As a