JUDGMENT

S.B. Majmudar, J.-These three criminal appeals have been filed by in all 8 accused who have felt aggrieved by their conviction and sentence recorded by Additional Sessions Judge, Jabalpur in Sessions Case No. 56 of 1983 by his judgment dated 8th August 1986 convicting them under Section 148 and Section 302 read with Section 149, Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentencing them respectively to two years rigorous imprisonment each and imprisonment for life. Sentences were ordered to run concurrently. They have also felt aggrieved by the dismissal of their Criminal Appeal No. 908 of 1986 by a Division Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur on 26th February 1988. Though all the 8 appellants had filed one criminal appeal before the High Court, in this Court they have filed separate appeals by obtaining special leave to appeal. Criminal Appeal No. 318 of 1988 is moved by accused Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 5 respectively. Criminal Appeal No. 501 of 1988 is filed by accused No. 2 while Criminal Appeal No. 63 of 1991 is filed by accused Nos. 1, 3, and 4.

Facts leading to these appeals

2. On 4th September 1982 at about 4.30 p.m., according to the prosecution story, in a narrow lane of Bu