JUDGMENT/ORDER

SURAJ GOVINDARAJ, J. - The above appeals are filed by the accused, who have been convicted in Spl.SC.ST.No.33/2014 by the II Additional District and Sessions and Special Judge, Dharwad (for short, 'trial Court') vide judgement dtd. 24/3/2018.

2. Criminal Appeal No.100121/2018 has been filed by accused Nos.5 and 6, Criminal Appeal No.100131/2018 has been filed by accused Nos.7 and 8, Criminal Appeal No.100207/2018 has been filed by accused Nos.1, 3, 4 and 10 and Criminal Appeal No.100216/2018 has been filed by accused No.9.

3. By way of aforesaid judgement, the trial Court found accused No.1 and 3 to 10 guilty of offence under Ss. 120-B, 201 and 302 read with 34 of IPC, accused Nos.4 and 10 were found guilty of offence under Sec. 364 read with 34 of IPC. All the accused were acquitted of offences under Ss. 3(2)(v) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (for short, 'POA Act').

4. By order of sentence dtd. 24/3/2018, accused Nos.1 and 3 to 10 were sentenced to undergo life imprisonment and to pay fine of Rs.5, 000.00 each for offences under Sec. 302 read with 34 of IPC, in default to undergo simple imprisonment for one year. Accused