ORDER :

1. Criminal Appeals Nos. 1181, 1182, 1762 of 2019 and 44 of 2020 are preferred by accused Goutam Joardar; Kartick Das and Biltu Bhattacharya; Shibu Kahar @ Dodan @ Dhuma and Raju Rabidas @ Shera challenging the common judgment and order dated 13.03.2019 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Calcutta dismissing the appeals preferred by said accused and confirming their conviction and sentence recorded by the Sessions Judge, Malda in Sessions Trial No. 07 of 2012.

2. The basic facts including the case of the prosecution as are discernible from the judgment of the High Court are as under:

“Prosecution case as alleged against the appellants is to the effect that the appellants are dangerous and desperate men who were terrorising the fish traders in the locality. Meeting was convened by the merchant association over the issue and the appellants gave an undertaking that they will not create trouble. On 29th April, 2011, the appellants came to the fish stall of one Ajoy Dey, (PW-1) and his elder brother Paritosh Dey @ Akal, the deceased herein ransacked their fish stall and looted money and fish as therefrom. The matter was informed to the police station as well as the local trad