BALWAN Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In this appeal the appellants have been convicted under S. 148, 307/149, 326/149, 325/149, 324/149, and 323/149, Indian Penal Code, 1860, to various terms of imprisonment ranging from one year to five years' rigorous imprisonment. It is common ground that the appellants have already served a little more than 2 1/2 years in jail and they were released on bail in 1976. After lapse of such a long time and having regard to the nature of injuries received by the injured persons and in the peculiar facts and circumstances of this case, we do not think that it is expedient in the interests of justice to send them back to jail. In these circumstances, while upholding the conviction of the appellants we reduce the sentence of the appellants to the period already served by them on the various counts. The appeal is accordingly disposed of.