JUDGMENT :

G.R. SWAMINATHAN, J.

The appellants-original accused have preferred these criminal appeals against the judgments passed by the Sessions Judge, Mahila Court, Tirunelveli. The accused were originally six in number. One of them, namely, Shanmugavel died during the pendency of the proceedings. The appellants herein were committed to trial in SC No. 81 of 2010 on the file of the First Additional Sessions Court, Tirunelveli. It was then made over to Mahila Court, Tirunelveli. After the examination under Section 313 of Cr.PC was over, the first accused Pichandi absconded. Therefore, the case against the first accused was split as SC No.81 A of 2010.

2. By judgment dated 27.07.2013 in SC No.81 of 2010, the learned Sessions Judge convicted and sentenced the accused. The second accused was convicted under Section 120 B and Section 302 of IPC. He was to sentenced to undergo life imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs.10,000/-, in default, to undergo rigorous imprisonment for one year on each count. The life sentences of course were to run concurrently. The accused 3 to 5 were found guilty of offence under Section 120 B and each of them was sentenced to undergo life imprisonment and also