ORDER

1. THE APPELLANT HEREIN STANDS CHARGED ALONG WITH ONE KANTA DEVI, BEING THE MAIDSERVANT OF THE FAMILY WITH THE MURDER OF KRISHNA DEVI, THE FIRST WIFE

OF THE APPELLANT HEREIN, AND THEREBY TRIED UNDER SECTIONS 302/34 IPC. THE LEARNED SESSIONS JUDGE CONVICTED BOTH THE APPELLANT AND KANTA DEVI, THE MAIDSERVANT, FOR THE OFFENCE UNDER SECTION 302 IPC READ WITH SECTION 34 IPC F AND SENTENCED THEM TO IMPRISONMENT FOR LIFE.

2. ON APPEAL BEFORE THE HIGH COURT AGAINST THE ORDER OF CONVICTION AND SENTENCE, BOTH THE APPELLANT HEREIN AND KANTA DEVI DENIED THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE MURDER. THE HIGH COURT, HOWEVER, THOUGHT IT FIT TO PASS AN ORDER OF ACQUITTAL AS REGARDS KANTA DEVI BUT ORDERED THE CONVICTION AND SENTENCE AGAINST THE APPELLANT HEREIN, AND HENCE THE FURTHER APPEAL BEFORE THIS COURT 9 UPON GRANT OF LEAVE UNDER ARTICLE 136 OF THE CONSTITUTION.

3. SIGNIFICANTLY, HOWEVER, THE HIGH COURT HAS NOT DELVED INTO THE ISSUE AS TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH SECTION 34 IPC WAS SAID TO BE INVOKED. BOTH THE CHARGES AND ALSO QUESTIONS PUT ON SECTION 313 CRPC DEPICT THAT IT IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL ACT BUT THE JOINT EFFORT OF BOTH THE PERSONS BUT THERE IS NEITHER ANY EVIDENCE AVAILABLE ON RECORD T