Judgment

DUA, J.:- This appeal by special leave under Art. 136 of the Constitution of India is directed against the judgment dated May 15, 1969 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana allowing in part the State appeal from the order of Shri Kartar Singh, Additional Sessions Judge, Jullunder, acquitting the five accused charged under Ss. 302, 302/34, 120B and 302/309, I. P. C. and convicting on appeal Trilok Singh and Pala Singh, appellants, the former under S. 302, I. P. C. and the latter under S. 302 read with S. 34, I. P. C. They were both sentenced to imprisonment for life.

2. The facts giving rise to this appeal briefly are that Atma Singh, resident of Basti Danish Mandan, Jullunder-City had purchased a plot of land measuring 58 kanals and 10 marlas in the aforesaid Basti in the year 1959 for a sum of about Rs. 16,000 from the Government at a public auction. This piece of land was at that time being cultivated by Hazara Singh, one of the five co-accused in the trial court and his associates. As they were disinclined to give up possession Atma Singh appointed Ram Singh (P. W. 14) and Sham Singh (deceased) as his attorneys to represent him in the litigation concerning the said lan