JUDGMENT :

K.Suresh Reddy, J.

All the three accused in Sessions Case No.346 of 2012 on the file of the Court of I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Chittoor, are the appellants. They were tried by the learned Additional Sessions Judge under the following charges :-

1^st charge was under Section 364 IPC against A.1 to A.3, 2^nd charge was under Section 302 IPC against A.1 to A.3, the 3^rd charge was under Section 201 against A.1 to A.3, 4^th charge was under Section 379 IPC against A.1 to A.3 and the last charge was under Section 404 read with 34 IPC against A.1 to A.3.

2. Substance of the charge is that on 12.12.2011 at about 9.00 a.m. all the accused abducted one C.Gowtham Chand (hereinafter referred to as 'the deceased'), and demanded gold and cash and on the same day at about 7.30 P.M. they strangulated him to death with a coconut rope and took three sovereign of gold chain and gold ornaments from the body of the deceased, caused his death and thereafter poured kerosene on the dead body and set fire to it at Rakshasi gutta forest near Jonnagurukala village in order to screen away the evidence and thereby committed offences punishable under Sections 302, 364, 201, 404 read with 34