PANDURANG Vs. STATE OF HYDERABAD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Judgment of the court was delivered by

(2.) FIVE persons including the three appellants, were prosecuted for the murder of one Ram-chander Shelke. Each was convicted and each was sentenced to death under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

(3.) THE prosecution case is this. On 7/12/1950, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon,, Ramchander Shelke (the deceased) went to his field known as `Bhavara` with his wife's sister Rasika Bai (P.W.1) and his servant Subhana Rao (P.W.7). Rasika Bai started to pick chillies in the field while Ramehander went to another field `Vaniya-che-seth` which is about a furlong away. We gather that this field is near a river called Papana. Anyway, Rasika Bai heard shouts from that direction, so she ran to the river bank with Subhana and they both say that they saw all five accused attacking Ramchander with axes and sticks.