The main legal point established in the judgment is the reliance on the quality of evidence, particularly the testimony of a single eyewitness, and the requirement for the accused to explain incriminating circumstances during their examination.

1. The appellants herein are the accused Nos.1 to 4 in S.C.No.275/2008 on the file of the Sessions Judge, Fast Track - 4, Belgaum. They are convicted for the offences punishable under Section 395 of IPC.

2. Briefly stated, on 01.12.2006, while the manager and his staff of State Bank of India, Chennammanagar Branch, Belgaum, were on their duty, at 10.30 a.m., 7 to 8 persons, posing themselves as customers entered the said bank; by wielding Pistol, Revolver and Chopper they demanded cash and dragged all the staff and the customers present in the hall to a corner. They took two of the officials / CWs.8 and 13 to the strong room and got the strong room forcibly opened through them. They looted the cash of worth Rs.8,00,000/-; after committing robbery, they put all the inmates of the Bank premises in the locker room, closed and bolted the room from outside, left the key of the locker room on customer pad and fled away with looted cash amount. On receiving information over mobile phone, the police arrived at the spot and received the complaint from the manager / CW.1. The case was registered for the offence punishable under Section 395 of IPC in Crime No.71/2006 and FIR was despatched to the Court. The Police Inspector / I.O. / CW.40 drew mahazaar in the presence of panch witnesses, recorded the statement of witnesses.

3. The Thilakawadi Police on 03.12.2006, received a message that an abandoned Car is parked in Marata Colony; the PSI rushed to the spot, noticed a Maruti Esteem Car bearing No.MH-14/ B-4952. When the Car was searched, a label of State Bank of India, Channammanagar Branch, Belgaum and receipts for Rs.18,500/- of Hubli Urban Co-operative Bank A/c. No.60470 deposited in the name of the Global Association were found. The Car with its contents was seized under a mahazaar.

4. When things stood thus, on a credible information, CW.32 / Circle Police Inspector, Mangalore Rural Circle on 21.08.2007, searched a bus coming from Melkar towards Mangalore. The second accused ofthis case was found in the bus with one suitcase. On enquiry and search, the PSI found gold ornaments in one plastic bag, in that suitcase. On further enquiry, second accused admitted that these are the ornaments looted from Chemmanur Jewellers, Bangalore. He was arrested along with properties and produced in the Konaji Police Station. During his interrogation, his complicity along with co- accused in the present case came to light. On 24.10.2012, the PSI of Udyambagh Police Station secured accused Nos.1, 3 and 4 under body warrant and produced them before the jurisdictional JMFC in respect of this case.

5. The PSI / CW.38 collected the FIR and voluntary statement of accused and other documents from Banasawadi Police Station, Bangalore and from Konaji Police Station. The accused Nos.1 to 4 were taken to police custody by the order of the Court and interrogated and their voluntary statements were recorded. The place were the Car used for commission of offence was parked was shown by accused No.4 and at his instance, a chopper was recovered which was hidden in the mud; accused No.1 produced another chopper which he had hidden under the mud at a distance of 20 feet from there. Accused No.4 took the police to his house at Thilakawadi, Marata Colony and from his kitchen he produced Rs.1,100/- currency notes and chits of State Bank of India, Channammanagar Branch, Belgaum. From the same house, accused No.1 produced 5 currency notes of Rs.100/- denomination with chits of State Bank of India, Channammanagar Branch. Accused No.2 from the same house produced a bundle of Rs.700/- with chits of State Bank of India, Channammanagar Branch. Accused No.3 also produced one bundle of currency notes amounting to Rs.700/-, with slips of State Bank of India, Channammanagar Branch, Belgaum. Above all said properties were seized under the same mahazaar / Exs.P.34 On the requisition of the Investigating Officer, the Tahsildar, Belgaum conducted identification parade. After th