JUDGMENT

Sinha, J. - In the District of Farrukhabad there is a family of which the founder was a man Thamman Singh. Thamman Singh had three sons, Ulfat Rai, Hukum Singh and Shyam Lal. Hukum Singh has two sons, Harish Chandra and Sita Ram. Shyam Lal's son is Hirdey Ram. Of these Harish Chandra and Hirdey Ram were convicted u/s 20 of the Arms Act, and sentenced to a term of rigorous imprisonment for five years. Both have come before me in appeal. Hirdey Ram's appeal is No. 676 of 1944, that of Harish Chandra is No. 677. The judgment of the learned Assistant Sessions Judge bears an even date in both the cases, namely, 31st July 1944. On 13th October 1942, a man named Hazari Lal was murdered. It was alleged that some dacoits had gone to the house of the deceased and demanded money for political activities. It might be mentioned that that was the time when the place was seething with political discontent and the scene of murder was in a ferment. On 2nd January 1943 Hirdey Ram was arrested and his house was searched. Nothing incriminating was found and he was let off on bail on 3rd January 1943. On 8th January 1943, Hirdey Nath, a student aged 15 or 16 years was arrested and on 21st Janua