Judgment

S. RATNAVEL PANDIAN, J.

(1) THIS criminal appeal is directed against the judgment of the High court of Andhra Pradesh, rendered in Criminal Appeal No. 544 of 1987 partly allowing the appeal by setting aside the convictions of respondents 2 to 4 (accused 1 to 3 under Section 302 read with S. 34 of Indian Penal Code and S. 498-A Indian Penal Code and the sentence of imprisonment for life and the sentence of one year rigorous imprisonment respectively but retaining the conviction of the respondents 2 to 4 under S. 201 read with S. 34 of Indian Penal Code and the sentence of three years rigorous imprisonment as against respondents 2 and 3 (accused 1 and 2 but reducing the sentence of imprisonment inflicted on respondent 4 (A-3 to the period already undergone and in lieu of the unserved portion of the sentence, imposing a fine of Rs. 1,000.00 in default to suffer rigorous imprisonment for three months.

(2) THE relevant facts of the case giving rise to this appeal are necessary to be recapitulated for the disposal of this appeal.

(3) BEFORE the trial court, there were four accused namely respondents 2 to 4 and one Mallidi Peda Kapu alias Venkata Reddy (accuse