JUDGMENT

P.Sathasivam,CJI.—Leave granted.

2) These appeals are directed against the final judgment and order dated 22.02.2011 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh in Criminal Appeal Nos. 577 and 479 of 1998 whereby the High Court dismissed the appeals filed by the appellants herein while affirming the conviction and sentence dated 30/31.03.1998 awarded by the Additional Sessions Judge, Narnaul.

3) Brief facts:

(a) The case relates to the gang rape of the victim in village Nangal Durgu, Haryana. Purushottam-her grandfather, had a shop in the said village. Balu Ram (the appellant herein) also had a shop adjacent to the shop of Purushottam. On 28.12.1995, at about 5.00 a.m., when the prosecutrix (PW-3) came out of her house to attend the call of nature, Shimbhu (A-1) and Balu Ram (A-2)-the appellants herein, met her and asked her to accompany them to their shop. When she tried to resist their attempt, they threatened her by pointing out a knife with dire consequences. They took her inside the shop of Balu Ram (A-2) and raped her, turn by turn. They kept her confined in the same shop for two days, i.e., 28.12.1995 and 29.12.1995 and committed rape upon her repe