ORDER

1. The second accused in Sessions Case No. 1 of 1998 on the file of the Additional Sessions Judge, Patiala, is the appellant herein. He was charged under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC along with the other two accused for the murder of one Dharam Pal, who was a cashier in Union Bank of India, Gumthala Gharu Branch (Kurukshetra) on the night of 10-11-1997. The other two accused were acquitted by the trial court holding that there was no satisfactory evidence of their involvement in the murder. However, the appellant was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. The said conviction and sentence has been confirmed by the High Court by the impugned judgment.

2. It is the case of the prosecution that Gurpal Singh, a constable of Punjab Home Guards attached to Police Station Julkan, was on duty along with another constable at the liquor shop at Markanda. At about 7.30 p.m. Dharam Pal (deceased) approached the said constables for arranging lift in a vehicle to go to Pehowa. A little later, a Maruti van bearing No. CHK 8479, came from Pehowa side and stopped at the liquor shop. The occupants of that van, namely, the appellant and two other accused purchased liquor from the