JUDGMENT

S. RATNAVEL PANDIAN, J.:- Leave granted in both the SLPS.

2. Criminal Appeal No. 748 of 1991 arising out of S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 2448/90 is filed by one E. Balakrishnama Naidu who was arrayed as accused No. 1 before the trial Court canvassing the correctness of the judgmerit made by the High Court of Andhra 2 -desh in Criminal Appeal No. 618 of 1989 whereby the High Court set aside the conviction of the appellant under S. 306, I.P.C. and the sentence imposed therefor and instead convicted him under S. 498A, I.P.C. and sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year and to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000/- in default to suffer simple imprisonment for a period of six months.

3. Criminal Appeal No. 749 of 1991 arising out of S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 431/91 is preferred by the State of Andhra Pradesh on being aggrieved by the judgment of the High Court in the same Criminal Appeal No. 618 of 1989 setting aside the conviction under S. 306, I. P. C.

4. Both these appeals arise out of a common judgment of the High Court and, therefore, we are rendering a common judgment hereunder.

5. It transpires from the records that the said E. Balakrishnama Naidu along with two others took hi