( 1 ) THE accused-appellant Mannalal Khatic stood a trial, charged with two counts of distinct offence, viz. under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, for having committed murder of Gulab, and under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code for having caused hurt to Dayaram with a sharp-cutting weapon, at tie Third Criminal Sessions of 1963 in me Original Criminal Jurisdiction of the Calcutta High Court before the Hon'ble Mr. Justice T. P. Mukherjee and a Special Jury. Of the nine jurors, six found Mannalal Khatic, the accused-appellant guilty on the charge under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for murdering Gulab and seven founds Mannalal Khatic, the accused-appellant guilty for having caused hurt to Dayaram with a sharp-cutting weapon. The learned Judge agreeing with and accepting the majority verdict of the Jury on both the charges against the accused-appellant Mannalal Khatic, convicted and sentenced him under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code to suffer rigorous imprisonment for life and under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code rigorous imprisonment for three years respectively, the latter sentence to run concurrency with the former one.

( 2 ) THE accused-ap