( 1 ) THERE were two accused in S. C. No. 500 of 1993, both have been convicted of offence u/s. 376 (2) (g) of IPC and sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment. They have filed two separate appeals. Counsels have been heard and both the appeals are disposed of by this common judgment.

( 2 ) THE facts giving rise to the filing of charge-sheet against the accused are that, on 13-3-92 one Dasari Jyothi, hereinafter referred as the victim was alone in her house, her mother had gone for work in the cotton fields. Between 2. 00 and 3. 00 p. m. the victim went to give fodder to her buffalo in the open space behind her house. A-1 and a-2 were watching her from a nearby distance. The 1st accused came and gagged the mouth of the victim, then dragged her to nearby sheep shed belonging to one amirnenli Venkateswarlu. A-1 and A-2 then committed rape on her one after another. Both the accused thereafter threatened the victim with dire consequences, if she narrated the incident to anybody. The victim thereafter went to her friend Amirneni par vathi and to her aunt Amirneni Lakshmi, informed them about the incident. Those ladies kept the victim with themselves till the arrival