JUDGMENT

SARKARIA, J.:— This appeal by special leave is directed against a judgment of the High Court of Rajasthan, by which the conviction and death sentence imposed on the appellant by the Sessions Judge in respect of the murders of Jarnail Singh, Swaran Singh, Smt. Dipo and Guddi, was confirmed.

2. The facts giving rise to the appeal are as under :-

3. On May 2, 1974, Jarnail Singh and Shyamdas were staying in the Gurdwara of village Karadwala. Karam Singh, the Granthi of Gurdwara, had gone away to Sadul Sahar. There, in the morning of May 3, 1971, he received information that somebody had murdered Jarnail Sigh and Shyamdas within the premises of the Gurdwara. Karam Singh lost no time in reaching the scene of occurrence, in a jeep. He found the dead body of Jarnail Singh drenched in blood on the roof. Nearby, on a charpai, Shyamdas lay unconscious with head injury. The locks of the room and of the almirah were lying broken. Karam Singh, also, came to know from the persons gathered there, that in the neighbouring house also, Swaran Singh and his wife, Smt. Dipo, had been murdered, and their daughter, Guddi was lying unconscious. Guddi had also suffered head injuries. The household