JUDGMENT

G. C. Mathur, J. - The appellants Paras Ram and Sadhu have been convicted by the II Temporary Sessions Judge, Hamirpur, under Section 302/34, I. P. C. and each has been sentenced to death for the murder of one Smt. Mannu alias Manni. They have further been convicted under Sections 201/34 and 394/34, I. P. C. and each has been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for five years on each count. The appellants have preferred this appeal against their conviction and sentences and the Sessions judge has made a reference for the confirmation of the sentences of death passed against the appellants.

2. Appellants Paras Ram and Sadhu are related to each other and are said to be fast friends. Smt. Manni, the deceased, had three brothers, Sumera (P. W. i) , Kamla (P. W. 9) and Budia (P. W. 10) . She had an elder sister Suit. Tijiya who has a daughter Smt. Babboo (P. W. 6) aged about ten years. Smt. Manni was about 19 years of age and had been married about three years before the occurrence. About two months before the occurrence Smt. Manni had gone to her father-in-law's house for her gonna ceremony and after staying there for fifteen days had returned to her brother's house in village M