JUDGMENT :

V.M. Deshpande, J.

Being aggrieved by the judgment and order of conviction passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge, Yavatmal in Sessions Trial No.21 of 2017 dated 03.10.2018, the appellants have filed the present appeal. All the appellants were convicted for the offence punishable under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code (for short “IPC”) and were directed to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay fine of Rs.10,000/- by each of them and in default to undergo further Rigorous Imprisonment for six months. In addition to the aforesaid conviction, appellant no.3 – Prathmesh alias Nana Rode was also convicted for the offence punishable under Sections 324 and 506 of the IPC and for that, he was directed to suffer Rigorous Imprisonment for two years and to pay fine of Rs.2,000/- and Rs.1,000/- respectively with default clause.

All the appellants were acquitted of the offence punishable under Sections 307, 504 and 120B of the IPC and Sections 4 and 25 of the Arms Act.

Prosecution case:

2. The prosecution case as it was disclosed during the course of trial is as under:

A) On 10.08.2016, Santosh Vaijnath Kendre (PW13) was attached to the Police Station, Wadga