JUDGMENT :

Johnson John, J.

The appellants are accused Nos. 1 to 8 in S.C. No. 901 of 2016 on the file of the Additional District and Sessions Judge-VI, Thiruvananthapuram and accused Nos. 1 to 4 are challenging the conviction and sentence imposed on them for the offences punishable under Sections 120B, 302, 341, 326 r/w Section 34 IPC and accused Nos. 5 to 8 are challenging the conviction and sentence imposed on them under Section 120B IPC. Crl. Appeal No. 895 of 2018 is filed by accused Nos. 1, 2 and 4. Crl. Appeal No. 1009 of 2018 is filed by accused No. 3. Crl. Appeal No. 677 of 2018 is filed by accused No. 5 and Crl. Appeal No. 1500 of 2018 is filed by accused Nos. 6 to 8.

2. The prosecution case is that the accused persons and the deceased were members of rival gangs operating in Thiruvananthapuram and that the deceased and others attacked accused Nos. 2 and 3 in this case and that resulted in the registration of Crime No. 1271 of 2014 of Pettah Police Station and because of the gang rivalry and previous enmity, accused Nos. 1 to 9 entered into a criminal conspiracy to murder the deceased Sunil Babu and in furtherance of their common intention, accused Nos. 1 to 4 travelled in t