JUDGMENT :

Uday Umesh Lalit, J.

1. These appeals by special leave filed by original accused Nos.1 to 4 are directed against the common judgment and order dated 04th September 2017 passed by the High Court¹ [The High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru], in Criminal Reference Case No.14 of 2010; and in Criminal Appeal No.799 of 2011 and Criminal Appeal No.637 of 2012.

2. The appellants along with original accused Nos.5 to 9 were tried by the Trial Court² [XXXIV Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (Special Court), Central Prison Premises, Bengaluru] in Sessions Case No.443 of 2001 and Sessions Case No.55 of 2004 for having committed offence punishable under Section 396 of the IPC, ³[The Indian Penal Code, 1860]. Accused No.9 died during the pendency of the trial and the proceedings against her stood abated. The Trial Court ² [XXXIV Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (Special Court), Central Prison Premises, Bengaluru] acquitted original accused Nos.5 to 8 by its judgment dated 17.09.2010 but convicted the appellants for having committed offences punishable under Section 396 read wi