(These criminal appeals are preferred under Sec.374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against the conviction and sentence passed by the learned First Additional Sessions Judge, Chennai in S.C.No.318 of 2001 dated 24.06.2003.)

P. Sathasivam, J.

One Umapathy, accused No.3 in Sessions Case No.318 of 2001 on the file of First Additional Sessions Judge, Chennai, who suffered the sentence of life imprisonment, has filed Criminal Appeal No.1057 of 2003. The second accused, viz., Kumar @ Kalyan Kumar and the first accused, viz., Udyakumar in the same Sessions Case questioning their conviction and sentence to undergo life imprisonment under Section 397 r/w 395 IPC, have filed Criminal Appeal Nos.1515 and 1272 of 2003 respectively.

2. The case of the prosecution is briefly stated hereunder:

(a) PW.1 Renuka Devi is working as a Security in Testiny Company at Villivakkam. PW.2 is the Manager and PW.3 is a staff of the above said Company. On 7.01.1998, PW.2 Sampath, went to Canara Bank at 9.15 a.m. to encash a cheque and at about 11.00 a.m. while he was returning along with PW.3 with a cash of Rs.2 lakhs, two persons threatened PW.2 Sampath, to handover the cash. PW.2 was beaten by the