This appeal is preferred by the appellants/accused against the judgment of conviction and order of sentence passed by the IV Additional Sessions Judge, Mysore in S.C. No. 87/2011 dated 24.03.2012 convicting accused Nos. 1 to 4 under Section 306 read with Section 34 IPC and sentencing them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years and to pay a fine of Rs. 5,000/- each and in default to undergo simple imprisonment for a further period of six months.

2. Factual matrix of the appeal is as under :

Accused Nos. 1 to 4 were engaged in chit business. The deceased, Srikanth was also a member of the chit fund business run by the accused. One Ravi Mestru and his mother were also members of the chit. Ravi and his mother had taken the chit amount for which Srikanth stood as surety. But however, the said Ravi mestru and his mother did not repay the monthly installments. Therefore, accused Nos.1 to 4 insisted Srikanth to pay the chit amount since he stood as surety. Accordingly Srikanth was regularly paying the amounts towards the chit. Inspite of it accused Nos.1 to 4 were demanding Srikanth to pay more and more amount. On 21.06.2009 at 8.30 p.m. accused Nos. 1 to 4 are said to ha