ORDER

This revision petition is preferred by the 1st accused against the judgment in Crl.Appeal No.495/2001 of Additional Sessions Judge, Kottayam. The accused were charge sheeted in C.C. N0.313/1997 by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kottayam u/s.420 r/w.34 IPC and convicted 1st and 3rd accused u/s.420 r/w.34 and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for two years each and directed to pay compensation of ₹51,000/- each to PW1 to PW9, ₹65,000/- each to PW2 and ₹70,000/- each to Pws 3 and 4 u/s.357(3) Cr.P.C. Against that, the accused preferred the above criminal appeal before Additional Sessions Judge, Kottayam, where the learned Sessions Judge modified the sentence to simple imprisonment for six months confirming the compensation amount. Being aggrieved by that, the 1st accused preferred this revision petition.

2. The charge against the accused is that the accused with their common intention dishonestly induced Pws 1 to 5 and made them believe that they will arrange visa for getting employment abroad and during July 1996 to February 1997, they collected ₹51,000/- from PW1, ₹65,000/- from PW2, ₹70,000/- from PW3 and ₹50,000/- each from PW4 and PW5 and others. Accordingly, these pers