By the Court.—The aforesaid appeals have been preferred by three appellants, namely, Anand Kumar Shukla, Smt. Kusum Lata @ Baby and Smt. Sharda Devi against the judgment and order of conviction dated 18.11.2003 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. VIII, Shahjahanpur in Sessions Trial No. 199 of 2001, State v. Anand Kumar Shukla and others, arising out of Case Crime No. 494 of 2000, under Sections 302, 201 IPC, Police Station Kotwali, District Shahjananpur, whereby each of the appellants has been sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5000/- under Section 302/34 IPC. Similarly appellants have been sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment coupled with a fine of Rs. 500/- each under Section 201 IPC and, in case of default, in the above two offences, the concerned convicts shall have to suffer additional rigorous imprisonment for one year and one month, respectively. Both the sentences shall run concurrently.

2. Heard at length Sri Rajiv Lochan Shukla, Sri P.K. Singh, learned counsel for the appellants as well as Sri Rahul Mishra learned Amicus Curie and J.K. Upadhayay, Km. Meena, learned AGA for State and Mrs. Manju Thakur, Brief Holder for the State.