JUDGMENT

Thomas, J.-The carnage fuelled by the assassination of Indira Gandhi scored a heavy toll on the Sikh Community in Delhi and this case relates to a macabre which took place during then. Four sons of Harbai were roasted to death in front of her eyes on 2.11.1984 at Trilokpuri in Delhi. The present appellants - Jaggu and Mannu - were tried before a Sessions Court for offences under Section 302 and 396 read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code. The trial Court convicted them of those offences and sentenced them to death on the first count and to life imprisonment on the next. A Division Bench of the High Court of Delhi confirmed the conviction and sentence. The appellants filed this criminal appeal by special leave.

2. PW-1 Harbai was the wife of Hooda Singh. They were living in an apartment situated at Trilokpuri. They had 4 sons - Darshan Singh, Laxman Singh, Chaman Singh and Hoshiar Singh. Among them Darshan Singh was living with his wife Shantibai in a house situated adjacent to the residence of PW-1. The other three sons were living with their parents in the same house. Among them Laxman Singh was a married man, his wife being Nankibai (PW-2).

3. Following the assassina