This is a case triple murder which took place on the night of 18th April, 1969. The accused, a son, is said to have murdered his father, his step-mother and his step-brother, and he has been sentenced to death under Section 302. 1. P. C. The accused has ap­pealed against his conviction and there is also the usual reference under Section 374, Cr. P. C. Both are taken up to­gether. The accused was also convicted under Section 457, I.P.C., but no separate sentence was awarded to him,

2. There lived a man named Gopi-charan Barman, aged about 55 years, at village Ratanpur under Udharbond Police Station. He seems to be a substantial man. having land and granary and several houses within his homestead and has also allowed the accused, who is his son, to build another house for him (accused) within his compound. Gopicharan's first wife is the mother of the accused who was driven away from his house while he was only three years of age. Gopi-charan had a second wife Bazodi who had a son Parimal, aged about 11 years. The accused's mother since then resided at a place called Barbond about six miles from Ratanpur. The accused grew up and was serving in the Military Depart­ment