Pritinker Diwaker, J.

As the aforesaid three Criminal Appeals arise out of the same judgment dated 20.11.2014 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Manendragarh, District Koriya, in Sessions Trial No. 23/2007 convicting the accused/appellants under Sections 364, 302 & 201 IPC and sentencing each of them to undergo imprisonment for life and pay fine of Rs. 2000/- u/s 364 and 302, and RI for five years with fine of Rs. 1000/- u/s 201 IPC plus default stipulations, they are being disposed of by this common judgment.

2. As per the case of prosecution, deceased Anand Vishwakarma used to drive the Bollero vehicle owned by a colliery employee AK Das (PW-12) and that on 10.10.2006 the vehicle was hired by the accused/appellants for being taken to Ambikapur from Haldiwadi. It is said that on the way to Ambikapur near village Kalua the accused/appellants stopped the vehicle and asked the deceased driver to take it towards the forest on the pretext of answering the call of nature. It is further said that after reaching the forest, the accused/appellants strangulated the deceased with the help of scarf already put on his shoulders and buried his body on the bank of a river within the te