JUDGMENT

P.B.Suresh Kumar, J.

Accused Nos.1, 3 and 8 in S.C.No.885 of 2006 on the files of the Additional District and Sessions Court, Vadakara are the appellants in these appeals, challenging their conviction and sentence in the said case. Among the appeals, Crl.Appeal No.1279 of 2013 is instituted by the first accused, Crl.Appeal No.1016 of 2014 is instituted by the third accused and Crl.Appeal No.1647 of 2013 is instituted by the eighth accused.

2. One Abdul Karim died in an occurrence which took place by about 10.30 p.m. on 11.02.2006. The case of the prosecution is that the deceased and the seventh accused were business partners on inimical terms; that on account of the enmity towards the deceased, the seventh accused hatched a conspiracy with the sixth accused to cause the death of Abdul Karim; that in furtherance to the said conspiracy, the sixth accused hired the services of accused Nos.1 to 3, 8 and two others namely, Subhash and Sachin to cause the death of Abdul Karim and that the aforesaid accused, as instructed by accused Nos.6 and 7, chased Abdul Karim who was going to Kozhikode from Kalpetta on the fateful day in his Qualis motor car bearing Reg.No.KL-11/S-3468 driven b