JUDGMENT :

Sujit Narayan Prasad, J.:

The instant appeal, under Sections 374(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, has been preferred against the judgment of conviction dated 20.09.2001 and order of sentence dated 24.09.2001 passed by learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-cum-Special Judge, Vth (C.B.I.), Ranchi, in Sessions Trial No. 641 of 1998 arising out of Sadar P.S. Case No. 42 of 1998, whereby and whereunder, the sole appellant, namely, Manoj Kumar Singh has been convicted under Sections 120B, 302 and 201 of I.P.C. and has been directed to undergo imprisonment for life under Sections 302 and 120B of I.P.C. on each count as also has been directed to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years and a fine of Rs. 5000 each and in default thereof, to undergo simple imprisonment of one year for offence under Section 201 of I.P.C.

2. The prosecution story in brief as per the allegation made in the FIR, reads as under:

Prem Kishore Khandelwal, Bahnoi (brother-in-law) of Rakesh Khandelwal, informant, had come to Ranchi on 09.04.1998. It is said that Prem Kishore Khandelwal reached Ranchi in the evening of 09.04.1998 and visited the shop of Bishwanath Khandelwal, where he met Mukesh Kh