JUDGMENT

P. Sathasivam, J.-These appeals are directed against the final judgments and orders dated 20.06.2007 and 13.06.2007 of the High Court of Judicature, Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad in Criminal Appeal Nos. 368 and 367 of 2003 respectively whereby the High Court while setting aside the conviction and sentence of other accused, partly allowed the criminal appeals upholding the conviction of the appellants herein for the offences punishable under Sections 148 and 436 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short ‘the IPC’) and reduced the sentence for the offence punishable under Section 436 of the IPC from 7 years to 3 years while maintaining the amount of fine and directed the appellants herein to surrender themselves before the trial Court in order to serve the remaining period of sentence.

2. Brief facts:

(a) There were land disputes between two groups at Pedagarlapadu Village, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh in respect of the lands belonging to the Temples which were leased out by the Endowments Department to the upper class people of the village and there was resentment in local dalits for the same. One day, the agitators trespassed into the said lands, in respect of which, Pinnam