Sarang V. Kotwal, J.

1. Both these Appeals arise out of the same Judgment and Order dated 30/04/2012 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Solapur, in Special Case No.30/09 and therefore both these Appeals are disposed off by this common judgment. For the sake of convenience the Appellant in Criminal Appeal No.544/12 and the Respondents in Appeal No.772/13 are referred to as the Accused as per their serial numbers in the said Sessions Case. The Criminal Appeal No.544/12 is filed by the original Accused No.1 challenging his conviction and sentence at the conclusion of the trial. The State of Maharashtra has preferred Criminal Appeal No.772/13 against the Respondents therein, who were the original accused Nos.2, 4 to 7 in the said Special Case, who were acquitted. The accused No.3 who was also convicted alongwith accused No.1, has not preferred any Appeal.

2. The Appellant in Criminal Appeal No.544/12, the original accused No.1 and the original accused No.3 were convicted for the commission of offence punishable u/s 302 of the Indian Penal Code and they were sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.2,000/- each and in default of payment of fine to