Judgment

RAMASWAMI,, J.

( 1 ) THIS appeal is brought by special leave from the judg-ment of the Andhra Pradesh High court, dated 23/03/1967 in Criminalappeal Nos. 297, 298, 299 and 300 of 1965 preferred by Respondents 1 to4 whereby the High court allowed the said appeals, set aside the judgmentof the Sessions court and convicted the respondents.

( 2 ) IN the Co-operative central Bank, Srikakulam, accused No. 1satya Rao, and accused No. 2 Prasada Rao were working as clerks whileaccused No. 4 Mohan Rao was a peon. The Co-operative central Bankhas four branches one of which is at Sompeta. The branch office has amanager, a clerk, a shroff and one peon and a night-watcher. Till Septem-ber 30, 1964 Sri V. S. Venkateswarlu was the Branch Manager of the Bankat Sompeta. He went on leave with effect from 1/10/1964. In his placeaccused No. 1 was posted to act as Branch Manager, Sompeta. Accusedno. 1 took charge as Branch Manager with effect from 1/10/1964 fromvenkateswarlu. The case of the prosecution is that while accused No. 1was at the headquarters he came to know that the accused No. 4 was in thehabit of practising signatures of the secretary of the Bank. A conspiracy forcheating the bank w