JUDGMENT :

V. BHARATHIDASAN, J.

Prayer: Criminal Appeals filed under Section 374(2) and 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against the judgment of the learned III Additional District and Sessions Judge (PCR Court), Madurai District in Spl. S.C. No. 77 of 2017 dated 18.04.2018.

1. The appellants are Accused Nos. 1 to 3 in Spl. S.C. No. 77 of 2017, on the file of the learned III Additional Sessions Judge (PCR), Madurai. They stood charged for the offences under Section 341 r/w 34 I.P.C. r/w Section 3(2)(va) of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 (herein after referred to as SC/ST Act), Section 3(1)(s) of SC/ST Act r/w 34 I.P.C. and Section 307 r/w 34 I.P.C. r/w 3(2)(v) of SC/ST Act. The trial Court convicted all the accused under Section 341 r/w 34 I.P.C. r/w Section 3(2)(va) of SC/ST Act and sentenced them to undergo one month Simple Imprisonment and also to pay of fine of Rs. 500/- each, in default to undergo 7 days Simple Imprisonment. Further convicted them under Section 3(1)(s) of SC/ST Act r/w 34 I.P.C. and sentenced them to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs. 1000/- each, in default to undergo six m