SUKUMARAN, J.

Accused Nos. 1 and 4 in S.C. No. 105 of 1980 of the Sessions Court Tellicharry have preferred the appeals challenging the conviction and sentence passed against them Criminal Appeal No. 268 of 1981 is the appeal filed by the 1st accused. The appeal of the 4th accused is Criminal Appeal No. 279 of 1981.

2. The 1st accused was charged with offences punishable under Sections 302 and 201 read with Section 34 of the I.P.C. as also an offence punishable under Section 3 read with Section 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act, 1959 for causing the death of Mathew Manjooran, the husband of the 4th accused by shooting him with an unlicensed country gun. All the four accused were charged under Sections 302 and 201 read with Section 34 of the I.P.C. Accused Nos. 2 and 3 were acquitted. Accused No. 1 was found guilty under Section 302 read with Section 34, I.P.C. and also under Section 3 read with Section 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act. The conviction of the 4th accused was for offence under Section 201 read with Section 34, I.P.C. The 1st accused was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life under S. 302, I.P.C. and rigorous imprisonment for two years for the offence under Sec