BATHULA PULLA REDDY Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Accused Nos.4, 5 and 6 in SC No.133 of 1995 which was decided by the 1st Additional Sessions Judge at Krishna at Machilipatnam are the appellants herein.

(2.) The Inspector of Police, Nuzvid originally filed a charge-sheet against 14 accused. Even before the committal of the case, A1 and A2 died and hence the case against them stood abated. The other accused Nos.3 to 14 were committed for trial before the Sessions Court. The learned Additional Sessions Judge framed the charges against A3 to A14 under Sections 148 and 302 IPC. Subsequently A3 and A7 died. Therefore the case against them stood abated. The learned Sessions Judge acquitted accused Nos.8 to 14 of all the charges, but convicted A4, A5 and A6 under Sections 148 and 302 IPC and they were sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for one year for the offence under Section 148 IPC. The accused were further convicted for the offence under Section 302 IPC and they were sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000.00 each, in default to undergo simple imprisonment for six months.

(3.) The prosecution story can be briefed as follows: