JUDGMENT

B.P. Singh, J.-The appellants herein have impugned the judgment and order of the High Court of Judicature at Madras dated March 5, 1997 in Criminal Appeal No. 177 of 1988 whereby their conviction under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC and sentence of life imprisonment, as well as their conviction under Section 147 and sentence of six months rigorous imprisonment has been affirmed by the High Court. We may observe that apart from these two appellants, two other persons who were convicted by the same judgment and order had also preferred a Special Leave Petition before this Court alongwith the appellants herein, but the Special Leave Petition in so far as it related to them, was rejected by this Court by order dated 12.12.1997.

2. In all eight persons were put up for trial before the Second Additional Sessions Judge, Madras, charged variously of offences under Sections 147, 148, 302 and 302/149 IPC. The appellants herein were A-1 and A-6 before the trial court. The learned Additional Sessions Judge by his judgment and order dated 25th March, 1988 in Sessions Case No. 142/87 found A-2 guilty of the offence under Section 302 IPC and sentenced him to imprisonment for