JUDGMENT

S.P. Kurdukar, J.-This Criminal Appeal is preferred by Niranjan Singh s/o Bhan Singh, the accused No.3 challenging the legality and correctness of the judgment and order of conviction dated January 7, 1983 passed by Punjab & Haryana High Court at Chandigarh.

2. At the outset it may be stated that originally five accused persons were tried in Sessions Case No. 16/81 for various offences punishable under Sections 120-B, 148, 302 read with 149 and 201 IPC. The Sessions Judge, Sangrur vide judgment and order dated July 31, 1982 convicted accused No.1, Amrik Singh, Bawa Singh and Niranjan Singh, the appellant before us, for offences punishable under Sections 120-B, 302/34 and 201 IPC and sentenced each one of them on all these three counts for various terms of imprisonments including life imprisonment. The learned trial Judge, however, acquitted the accused No.4, Gobind Singh and accused No.5, Sainsi Singh.

3. The convicted accused preferred Criminal; Appeal No.531-DB of 1982 to the High Court of Punjab & Haryana against the order of conviction and sentence passed by the Sessions Judge, Sangrur. The State of Punjab also filed Criminal Appeal No.690-DBA of 1982 challenging the ord