Order

The facts of this case reveal that an auspicious occasion of marriage had turned out to be a funeral ceremony, following a quarrel that ensued between the invitees on a flimsy ground. The three appellants herein along with two others, who have been acquitted by the High Court, were charged for murdering two persons, namely, Ravindra Singh and Mahendra Singh in the night of 20th February, 1977 in the village Tikari, Aligarh District. On trial, the appellants were convicted under Section 302 read with 34 IPC and Section 307 read with 34 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment. The other two accused were con­victed under Section 302 read with 109 IPC.

2. On appeals filed by the accused before the High Court, the convic­tion and sentence of the appellants was upheld by the High Court. The conviction of the other two accused was set aside by the High Court giving them the benefit of doubt.

3. The prosecution case is that on 20th February, 1977 on the occasion of the marriage at the house of Sri Ram Nayi, the bridegroom party (known as ‘Baratis’) came to the village and stayed in a Chaupal (Courtyard of the house) of one Vikram Singh. There was a dance per­formance on that occasion. At