JUDGMENT

P. Venkatarama Reddi, J.-Three persons including the appellant herein, were charged for the murder of Gurpreet Singh on the night of 30th January, 1994, at village Ranguwal. The appellant together with one Manjit Singh was charged under Section 302 IPC, read with Section 34 IPC. It appears that the second accused Manjit Singh has been absconding and the trial proceeded only against the appellant. The other accused, namely Sohan Singh, who was charged under Section 302 read with Section 109 IPC, died during the course of trial. The Sessions Court convicted the appellant under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The High Court upheld the conviction and dismissed the appeal.

2. The prosecution case, as revealed by the FIR lodged by Mohinder Singh, the father of the deceased and his deposition in Court is as under :

On the crucial date, when the informant (P.W. 3) returned to his house at about 7 p.m., his wife told him that their son Gurpreet Singh left the house at about 5 p.m. in the company of the two accused as the accused wanted his presence at Jorahan Village for settling the dispute between Jarnail Singh and Ranjit Singh (P.W. 4).