(1.) The appellants are the accused Nos.1 to 12 in S.C.No.113 of 2011 on the file of the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court No.II, Thoothukudi. They stood charged for the offences as detailed below; <FRM>JUDGEMENT_232_LAWS(MAD)10_2015.html</FRM>
(2.) By judgment dated 10.10.2011, the trial court convicted all the 12 accused as detailed below; <FRM>JUDGEMENT_232_LAWS(MAD)10_2015(1).html</FRM>
(3.) During the pendency of this appeal, the sixth accused Mr.S.Johnson died on 10.10.2013. The death certificate issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Nagercoil Municipality, Kanyakumari District, has been produced. No one has come on record to prosecute the appeal in the place of the 6th accused, Mr.S.Johnson and thus, this appeal stands abated against the 6th accused. Thus, we are presently concerned with the appeal filed by the accused 1 to 5 and 7 to 12.